Nightmare on Elm Street: Dream Mistress
by Simmian7
Summary: He is known as the Dream Master. He survived against the Dream Warriors. He failed to capture the Dream Child. But now this insatiable killer comes face to face with the Dream Mistress. It is up to her to stand with him…or against him.
1. Intro

**Dream Mistress**

**Disclaimer**: This is just a creative fan-fic from the depths of my mind. Jordyn is of my creation. Freddy belongs to another, but in my mind he is mine! Any connection to a similar real life event is pure coincidence. Just enjoy my writing!

**Summary**: He is known as the Dream Master. He survived against the Dream Warriors. He failed to capture the Dream Child. But now this insatiable killer comes face to face with the Dream Mistress. It is up to her to stand with him…or against him.

**Rating**: M//YA

**Started: **1/23/07

**Finished**:

Please don't ask how such an idea came to my already warped mind. I'm not even sure I could even tell you. But I hope that you enjoy the story, nonetheless. The whole NOES series is as much as fascinating as it is a legend. I do not mean to muck it up with my crazy imagination. I just wanted to share it with you. Oh, and I believe this story takes place before the whole Freddy vs Jason deal (perhaps in another universe), but with all the movies beforehand as being true.

Now onto the story...


	2. Unlocking the Memories

_Disclaimer: see the intro_

* * *

**Chapter 1**

Her regularly scheduled day of nothing was disrupted by a rather impatient knock on the front door. She paused the movie and answered the door, feeling rather curious as to who would come this far out of town to bother her.

"Are you Jordyn Poletti?" She noted the man's rough voice.

"Depends on who's asking." Jordyn sharply snapped back. She wanted this figure to know his visit was bordering annoyance.

The man proceeded to flash a badge. "Detective Carl Hagen." He noticed her frown. "Don't get me wrong now…I'm here to seek your help."

"My help?" Jordyn now assumed that this was going to where she feared to tread.

Carl nodded before going on, "I know you moved way out here for a reason and I apologize for intruding on your solitude…"

She cut him off, "Get to the point, Detective!"

"My daughter is in the hospital—in a coma."

"My condolences, Detective, but I'm afraid I don't know the creep that did it."

"Oh but you do!" He was livid now. "Or did, I should say." This conversation was lasting much too long for her. They were already practically saying his name—a name she wished she could just forget. Jordyn knew she was more than willing to move on—yet a part of her forbid it.

"Well, even so, Detective, as you know, I have no contacts with anyone."

"But you know how." His livid demeanor changed to anger, "Dammit, that bastard has my daughter—that's why she's in a coma!"

Jordyn's face fell then and she tried not to cry, "He's…holding her hostage? Why?" She didn't understand. Jordyn knew him well enough that he wasn't the type to let his victims live for very long. He infamously toyed with them for a few moments before going in for the final kill.

"I'm here to find out why, Jordyn." Carl's reply followed her as she slowly sunk into the nearby armchair. She tried to keep the memories from flooding her. "Are you ok?"

Jordyn replied without looking up, "No. I'm not ok." She hesitated, making sure she was safe from her memories before continuing. "Detective, common sense should tell you that he's the reason I reside out here in B.F.E.—why I chose to socially deprive myself. When I woke from my coma, I foolishly told doctors where I had been. The media got wind of it and turned my story into a freak show."

"You were hard to track down." Carl calmly agreed with her living arrangements.

Jordyn sighed, "If I could help you and you're daughter, Detective, I would."

"Why can't you?"

Finally she stood up and faced him at eye level, "I have no way to reach him." That simple reply brought tears to her eyes, "I can't really even explain how I was able to reach him in the first place. The whole thing was like a fluke, some loophole. I can't get to him like the sleep depraved teens seem to. Believe me, I've tried."

Carl rubbed at his chin in thought. "Did you try hypnotism?"

"Everyone from the crackpot hypnotics to someone serious about the craft." She sighed and ran a hand through her long hair. "They could do nothing."

"Maybe if we work together, we can think of something."

She roughly shook her head, "I'm sorry, I…I can't willingly face him if we actually found a way to him."

"Why not?"

The answer was in a form of a memory that slipped through her defenses, shaking her to the core. Instantly, as she tried to push back against it, she brought her arms around her as if the temperature rapidly dropped. "I'm assuming he is most likely highly upset with me…and I don't want to find out if it's true or not."

"Why would he be upset with you?"

She looked at him in shock, "Don't you know anything of my case?"

Carl shook his head, "All my focus was on trying to find your current locale. I didn't get the chance to read up on what drove you here in the first place. All I know is that the media latched onto your sordid tale."

"I see." She took a deep breath. "Well…you're aware that I was in a coma, I hope." Carl nodded. "I was supposed to die…that's what the coma represented—one foot in the grave for me. But instead, I became suspended. Doctors were baffled and couldn't come up with a reasonable explanation. When I awoke nearly three years later, I was completely fine, as if I was never really near death. I tried to explain to them where I was, but they just blew me off. They did nothing to stop the media frenzy."

"So he's upset with you because you attracted the media?"

"No. He's upset because I left him rather abruptly. I'm assuming that's why he is killing again. But it doesn't explain why he is holding your daughter prisoner instead of just killing her."

"If I had a choice of the two, I'd gladly encourage a hostage situation." He replied as he twitched in shock from her words.

"Oh, Detective…I'm sorry…I didn't mean it that way…"

"I know…" He sighed. "If you can't help us the way I'd like, can you at least come with me to visit her?"

Jordyn grimaced. He was pretty much dragging her where she didn't want to get involved. _But you ARE involved, Jordyn. All he is asking is to at least pay respect to his daughter._ "Alright. Just a visit though…and then after, never contact me again. I just want to forget my whole affair with him." Carl nodded understandably.

* * *

Jordyn stood just outside of the room near the open door, facing the window that separated the room from the hallway. She could hear the semi-personal conversation between the doctor and Carl. Her eyes were fixated on the motionless young woman on the bed, strapped to a heart monitor. Apparently, the girls' heart fluttered dangerously close to flat-lining and now they didn't want to take any chances. _What is he doing to you? Taking his rage of despair out on you?_

Her thoughts were interrupted by Carl. "It's ok to come in, she doesn't have anything contagious—she's just in a coma."

Timidly, Jordyn stepped through the doorway. "How long…?"

"Three weeks." Carl answered her half question.

Suddenly, Jordyn shook her head, "This is pointless. I don't even know why I agreed to come here." She proceeded to turn out of the room.

"Jordyn!" Carl's needy wail stopped her in her tracks. "Stay just a few minutes at least."

With a sigh, Jordyn gave in and resumed her stance at his side. Just then, another figure entered. "Mr. Hagen! How is she?" A boy called out.

Carl glanced over his shoulder, "Hey Thomas. Same as yesterday."

Thomas then noticed Jordyn. "Who are you?"

Carl answered for Jordyn, "This is Jordyn Poletti."

"_**THE**_ Jordyn Poletti?" Thomas was surprised. She simply nodded, feeling suddenly insignificant.

"You know her?" Carl blinked.

"I know of her." Thomas replied. "Jordyn Poletti, one of the rare Krueger survivors." He stuck his hand out to Jordyn, "My name's Thomas Wilkins, a real admirer of yours."

She had visibly flinched on the mention of his name, even if it was just his last name. "Nice to meet you, Thomas." There was a bit of silence. "So…are you friends with Ms. Hagen?"

"She's a classmate, but yeah we're friends." Thomas answered.

"Thomas comes in almost everyday." Carl added.

"Well, when I'm not swamped with homework." Both men chuckled. Jordyn just nodded. Thomas checked his watch. "Oh I'm going to be late for Session."

"Better get going." Carl advised.

"Session?" Jordyn asked.

"It's a therapy group. A bunch of us meet up a few nights a week and we bond over mutual things." Thomas explained.

"Like what?"

"The man that haunts our dreams." Thomas' voice was strained in sadness. Jordyn wished she hadn't asked. "You should come. Everyone would be delighted to meet you."

"I better not." She began, but Thomas pleaded with her. "Ok, just a visit then." She was really getting upset on how she was being dragged into things she wanted nothing to do with.

"Awesome. You can just sit and spectate." Thomas brightened up and led the way to a room on the floor above. During the elevator ride, Jordyn made it clear that she wasn't up for talking. Luckily, Thomas used up the time to explain the details of how Claire Hagen ended up in a coma. Jordyn listened as patiently as she could. Finally they arrived on the correct floor and were soon in a room at the end of the hallway. "Here we are."

"Thomas, we're just about to start." A woman with a clipboard addressed him as other kids sat around her. Thomas took his usual seat, Claire used to sit in the chair next to him…so Jordyn sat there instead. "Oh, it seems we have a new therapy member."

"No, I'm just a spectator." Jordyn corrected her.

"If the monster is plaguing your dreams, then here is the place to share your anxieties."

Jordyn frowned, and Thomas jumped in to explain. "It's ok, Elaine. This is Jordyn Poletti." Jordyn shot him a look and he whispered, "Sorry."

"No way." Another kid spoke up. "I thought she was dead."

"Alex, that was rude." Elaine berated the other boy.

"Sorry." Alex apologized.

"Well, Jordyn, it's a pleasure to have you among us." Elaine opened up the hour with trying to make Jordyn feel welcome. "The presence of a survivor will certainly boost our spirits." Thomas smiled when the others agreed. "Please…share your experience with us." Jordyn glared at the woman. "It's alright. Talking about such things is a way to heal the soul. Some of us might have had the same experience…"

Jordyn couldn't believe this woman. "I seriously doubt it."

"Pardon me?" Elaine was taken aback when Jordyn interrupted her. "Share your pain with us."

The woman just kept urging Jordyn to partake in the group and finally, Jordyn snapped. "Stop talking about him like that! Stop insinuating things! You don't know him like I do!" Jordyn stormed out of the room, unable to take anymore accusations about Freddy Krueger.

* * *

That night, Jordyn lay in bed unable to close her eyes despite that the amount of tears she had just shed left her exhausted. Slowly, she rose from the bed and stumbled in the semi-darkness to her dresser. Her hands reached out for the handles of the bottom drawer and it opened with no resistance. 

In the rear right hand back corner of the drawer was the item she sought. It was a tattered shoe box missing the lid, so the objects inside the box were easily seen. She pulled the box from its spot and sat back against her bedpost, setting the box in her lap.

Timidly, her fingers brushed against a brown fedora. It wasn't his hat—just a duplicate from a department store window that made her think of him. She brought the fedora to her nose and took a deep breath. An unfamiliar musty smell consumed her and she quickly let the hat fall lopsidedly into the box. It didn't contain his smell.

She picked up the hat and set it aside in order to get to the other objects in the box. Actually, they were newspaper clippings of long ago—articles of his early years of killing. Jordyn turned the hat upside down, allowing the open end to face her. One by one she let each clipping fall into the hat.

"Why Freddy…why now?" Her voice was a mixture of exhaustion and sadness. "Why can't I just let go?" Her hand dove into the pile of clippings and angrily crumpled them. "You haunt me without really haunting me." Quickly, she pulled her hand back, as if crumpling the papers was a sign of betraying him. She retreated further, as if he was coming out of the box at her. Jordyn turned away and scrambled to bed. She just couldn't deal with this now. Pulling the covers completely around her, she curled up into a ball and let the tears come again.

* * *

_A/N: Wow, so much excitement. Can ya handle it? Do you likey my story? Am I out of my mind? Well, stay tuned for more insanity!_


	3. The Past and The Plan

_Disclaimer: see the intro_

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 2**

Jordyn rose two hours after sunrise, noting that memories didn't plague her during the night. She felt relieved and empty. Her shower was quick since she didn't have the mentality to enjoy it and soon sat down to cold cereal. Afterwards, she returned to her room to put the shoebox away in its rightful spot. However, she kept the hat with her—pondering whether to wear it or not. She couldn't decide if it made her feel traitorous or honorable. At least having it nearby was almost like having him near. Jordyn set it on the center of her bed and left the room.

She stopped at the phone in the kitchen and dialed the number for the police station. Someone picked up on the second ring, "Oh…um, is there a Detective Carl Hagen there?" She paused. "He's not in right now? What time does his shift start?" More waiting. "Evenings. Ok." Jordyn wasn't sure what to do now. She didn't really want to wait until then to talk to him. But then again, she couldn't remember why she wanted to talk to him in the first place. "No. No message. Thanks." Jordyn hung up, feeling lost at the moment.

The knock at her door startled her. She timidly answered it to find Thomas standing there with a woman behind him—a woman Jordyn recognized. She turned to Thomas in confusion.

"I apologize for coming uninvited—I got your address from Detective Hagen." Jordyn frowned. "Please…Jordyn, can we talk?"

Jordyn then got a good look at the woman with him—it was Elaine. "What's she doing here?"

"Please, we just want to talk to you." Elaine replied calmly. Jordyn scooted aside and motioned them through.

"Fine, make it quick." Jordyn shut the door and followed them to the living room.

"Wow, Jordyn, such a big place for one person." Thomas exclaimed.

Jordyn made no acknowledgement of his comment. "What do you want?"

"To help you, Jordyn." Elaine began. "As you know, he has Claire as his prisoner…much like he had you years ago."

Jordyn's face fell in shock then, "Is that what you think?"

"Well, why don't you tell us what happened." Elaine countered. Jordyn gazed at Elaine in her silent debate. Finally, Jordyn closed her eyes.

"I suppose starting from the beginning is best." Jordyn's voice sounded far away, but she was seated next to Elaine and Thomas. "I was almost ten years old when I was sick—mysteriously sick. Doctors had no idea what it was or how to stop it. It plagued me for nearly seven years before I landed in a coma and everyone assumed that my death was near. But for three years, I remained in a coma—no sign of dying but no sign of recovering."

"I remember seeing that on the news." Thomas briefly commented.

"Well, in those three years, I was actually in his realm. How I got there is still unexplainable. When I discovered him, he was in the midst of finishing off his current victim. He noticed me then and I was too scared to move. Before I knew it, he had me pinned and his clawed hand was raised to strike."

"Oh my god." Elaine gasped.

"I was scared. I didn't want to die. I knew I was in a coma and tried to mentally chant myself to freedom—but freedom never came." Jordyn paused a bit too long then, as the next part was still a fresh wound in her.

"Please…go on." Elaine urged.

When Jordyn spoke again, her voice grew softer, "In my moment of panic, and with his blades descending upon me…" She hesitated and wrapped her arms around her as if it was extremely cold. "I kissed him…full on the lips."

"Whoa." Thomas exclaimed.

"It freaked us both out, and I managed to avoid him for a while. Then one night he cornered me. I thought he was going to kill me then, for what I had done. But before I could blink, he pinned me to the floor…for different reasons other than murder."

Elaine and Thomas blinked in surprise at each other. "What did he do?"

Jordyn's eyes focused on the floor, "That was the night we…made love." She quickly glanced up to them with wide eyes. "I know, I know, a bit on the morbid side…but it just happened."

"And…?" Elaine urged her.

"You're the first person I've told since waking up from my coma." Just thinking about it filled her with such sadness and suddenly she couldn't talk about it. Jordyn just shook her head against Elaine's urgence and tears blurred her vision. "Please just leave." Jordyn retreated to her bedroom.

Elaine glanced at Thomas and he replied, "I had no idea it was this disturbing."

"Thomas." She scolded. "We still need to help her. She could possibly help us." She stood up, "I remember in those three years, there were no killings."

"You think she was occupying him?" Thomas asked.

"I'm sure of it." Elaine tapped her chin in thought. "I bet she is the reason that poor Claire is held hostage."

"I don't get it."

Elaine motioned for Thomas to follow her. When they reached Jordyn's room, they found her sitting on the bed clutching the hat. "Didn't I tell you to leave?" Jordyn spat. "Or are you morbidly curious to know more?"

"We do want to learn more." Elaine softly replied. "Perhaps we can conduct a plan to save Claire by knowing what you know." She sat at Jordyn's side. "How did you spend your days with him?"

Jordyn quietly fiddled with the hat before answering, "I never planned to fall in love with him, but I did."

"Did you know about him before your coma?" Thomas asked.

"No. Maybe if I did, then I probably wouldn't have feelings for him." Jordyn sighed. "Every moment with him was amazing—just being together made me feel so content. And I'm sure he felt the same."

"Sorry, but I just can't picture him not having the urge to kill." Thomas shook his head in disbelief.

"Well, it's true." Jordyn grew defensive about Freddy.

"I believe you, Jordyn." Elaine offered. "But we need to focus on how you came his world and how you left it."

"The week before I woke up from my coma…I remember it was just after one of our moments of consummation. While I lazily lay in his arms, I felt rather strange. I trembled and felt lightheaded. He noticed, but I demanded that everything was fine. As the week progressed, it happened more frequently. After a few days, I became flooded with memories from before the coma and the lightheadedness was from echoed sensations of what the Doctors and Physical Therapists had done to my body during the coma."

"Well, that's weird." Thomas commented.

"I nearly freaked out when my left hand briefly faded right before my eyes. I was grateful that his attention was elsewhere in that moment since he was turned away from me, but I knew I had to get alone—especially as my hand faded again along with most of my arm."

"What did you do then?" Elaine asked.

"I managed to slip from the room and I retreated to a secluded area. I made it there just in time, because at that moment I faded completely." A tear trickled down her cheek, but Jordyn continued. "When I came around again, Doctors were around me and I then knew that I had awakened from my coma."

"Ok, well obviously your coma is a key factor in this." Elaine pondered aloud. "And you've tried sleeping—getting there the average way?"

Jordyn gripped the hat angrily between her fingers, "Haven't you been listening!?" She began backing away from Elaine and Thomas, "I **can't** go back."

"We know."

"Relax, Jordyn." Thomas added.

"NO! Not after I abandoned him!"

Suddenly Elaine understood, "I get it…even if you were able to return to him, judging by how you left his world, you fear his reaction to your return. Am I right?"

Jordyn nodded, "He probably thinks I don't love him, and that I never did love him." Jordyn signaled that she didn't want to talk about this anymore. She wanted to be alone. Elaine and Thomas exclaimed that they hoped to be able to hold a private Session with her. "I don't know…"

"It will just be you, me and Thomas." Elaine added.

"But I've pretty much told you everything—minus explicit intimate details." Jordyn replied.

"Then come to another of our Sessions, and listen to the other stories." Thomas suggested.

"I don't want to hear them bash him." Jordyn growled her protest.

"Then I'll advise them before hand not to do so." Elaine eased Jordyn—who finally agreed. They left and Jordyn managed to get the next few hours to herself.

That afternoon someone had knocked on her door. She saw that is was Carl and let him in. He seemed to have something important to say. "Detective, what's wrong?"

"This morning I contacted a friend who owed me a favor." He began. "This friend has a prototype machine that induces a coma for certain surgeries." Her eyes went wide, but she let him continue. "I suggested that I could get someone to test it IF he were to wait until he heard from me again."

As she sunk into the couch beside him, Carl was there to offer his shoulder. A few tears fell from her eyes while thoughts of Freddy spun through her mind. As Carl held her, he verbally urged her to try it. That only resulted in her shoving him away roughly.

"I can't!" She shouted through her tears. "I'm afraid to go back. I don't want to really know if he hates me now!" Losing her angry momentum, she turned away and cried some more. Carl hesitated to approach her again. He was aware that she needed the space right now.

He rose to his feet, "I'll stop by again next week for your decision." He turned and reached the door before stopping again, "I'm sure he'd want to see you again." Jordyn looked up and watched as Carl closed the door.

_Could I dare hope to be strong enough to face Freddy's rejection? _She turned away and her eyes fell on the poor excuse of the duplicated fedora. It seemed only days ago that she had been with him, but she knew it had been five years. Earlier this morning, she was pressured from Elaine and Thomas to talk more about him—about the intimacy between them. Jordyn refused to go to the therapy session. She couldn't bear talking about him anymore. If she did go, they'd relentlessly question her, forcing her to answer—to feed their curiosity. It wouldn't be long then, for the media to get wind of her resurfacing to society again.

Jordyn reached for the hat, launched it at a wall and proceeded to turn her room upside-down. She didn't care about the mess; Carl would stop by next week, see it, and clean it up. As she wound up curling in a massive suddenly cold comforting bed, she wished to slip into a never-ending oblivion.

She slept off and on for the rest of the day until even the bright moonlight, the same moonlight that once brought her delight, was now nothing more than an unwanted pain. Back then, it was simply the highlight of her existence in his world. He was always there with the moonlight to greet her nudity with his. But now, only unbearable darkness greeted her and no more would her flesh feel the warmth of her lover surrounding her.

Moonlight shifted to sunlight and she got up to start her day. Her focus was numb through the morning shower and somehow she managed a breakfast without a catastrophe or with awareness. Jordyn knew she would have to face Carl, Elaine and Thomas eventually, but a part of her wanted to just be forgotten again. By late morning, Jordyn wound up on the living room floor in front of the TV. A spot she rarely moved from unless the restroom beckoned her or her hunger was much to overwhelming to ignore.

Time melded together to her, and soon a week had gone by. Carl would be visiting again, something she would've realized had she been paying attention to time.

Carl showed up a bit after lunchtime to find her in front of the TV curled up asleep in an assumed uncomfortable position. He sighed and shook his head at her, proceeding to carry her to the much more comfortable bed. Taking a look around, he noticed how neglected this place was since he last been here. The sink was buried under kitchenware, and clothes were scattered about in various rooms. Boxes littered the kitchen counters and upon further investigation, Carl noted that the boxes were of unhealthy items. While she slept, he set himself to clean up a bit, and then prepared her a much healthier meal.

As he cleaned, Carl drifted into thought about Jordyn. After spending the previous week reading old newspaper clippings about her, Carl clearly understood just how much Freddy made her happy, after sacrificing so much of her life to the strange illness. Carl recalled how Claire (who was seven at the time) wanted to do something for Jordyn, even if they didn't know her. Claire wouldn't stop rambling about the sick girl she saw on television. Carl did manage to at least arrange Claire to be pen pals with Jordyn, but that didn't last too long once Jordyn was unable to read and write.

Carl's thoughts were interrupted by a noise. He looked up and saw Jordyn standing in the doorway, looking much better after a comfortable sleep, but still far from a smile. "Hey, I was just about to whip up something good." He gave Jordyn a quick one-sided hug then headed back toward the fridge. She shuffled lazily to the table and sat facing him. Carl made something quick and easy. In moments he had a tasty mixture and placed a full plate in front of her, and then one for himself.

Jordyn stared at it, picked at it, and then tasted a small portion. She coughed and got Carl's attention. "I...would like to apologize... for yelling at you last week." Her voice cracked and never rose above a soft tone, and it was clear to hear the tears in her voice. With just a smile he gazed back at her, and they looked at each other silently for a moment or two. "Why'd you put me in that bed? I hate it there." There were no cracks in her voice this time but it was still soft and hushed.

"You can't be sleeping on the floor. It's not good for you." Carl replied. He then pointed to the boxes in the trash, "Just like that stuff. Not good for you." Jordyn's gaze then fell mournfully down to her plate. Carl set his fork down and sighed, "Look Jordyn, you can't carry on this way."

"Why are you even here?" Carl knew what she meant.

"You could use a friend, Jordyn." She grunted at his response. Carl then had enough of trying to be considerate and nice toward her when his impatient anger got the best of him. "Look we all know that kids are dying and you're the only one that can truly end this madness!"

Jordyn roughly shook her head and in a fury sent the plate of flood crashing to the floor. "How!? With your friends stupid machine?! How do you know that it won't just kill me instead?!"

Carl shot to his feet, "I only suggested it as a way to save my daughter, Jo! Claire is the only family I have! And I hate seeing you like this! It's killing me watchin both of you wasting away."

"Well, isn't that just so touching?" Jordyn fell silent and she stared at the broken plate on the floor while she contemplated within her thoughts. "Oh Carl!" He embraced her and she cried silently into his shoulder, sniffled then spoke again. "I'll do it. But I can't guarantee that I can even find where she is. His world is extremely vast and constantly changes to his liking—there's really no end to it." Carl was aware about all of that, but he let her carry on, feeling that talking about it was needed for her right now. "Claire was the young girl who wrote to me a lot..."

Carl pulled back from her and looked into her eyes, "You remember that?" Jordyn nodded. "My god, that was over ten years ago!" Jordyn stepped back from him and sighed. "This is gonna be ok, Jo. Trust me on this. We'll get through this together...we're friends now and we'll do this together."

Jordyn turned her attention to the mess she had made, "I'll get that cleaned up." But Carl stopped her and she looked at him confused.

"I'll clean it later. Get changed; let's go for a walk. I assume you haven't been out of this house at all and could use some fresh air." Without a word, she trudged up the stairs to her room and appeared minutes later in fresh clothes.

* * *

_A/N: Well now, a spoonful of insanity helps the intelligence go down. LOL, that's kinda catchy and it kinda makes sense in a wierd sorta way. So that was chapter 2. But don't worry, folks, the crazy ride continues!_


	4. Bitter Reunions and Memories

_Disclaimer: see the intro_

* * *

**Chapter 3**

Jordyn exhibited interest in visiting Thomas at his school. By the time she arrived there with Carl escorting her, afternoon classes had begun. She visited the main office and got permission to visit Thomas while he was in science class. The moment she walked in the room, her eyes sought him out. Sure enough, there he was immersed in conversation with his best friend and fellow Krueger victim—Andy Snyder.

Andy was seriously bookish and hardly athletic, yet it was surprising that he became such great friends with Thomas. In fact, before he admitted to being another victim, Andy had preferred eating alone during lunch and didn't mind getting picked last for most team sports. But even with his new popularity, he still preferred the library over the gym.

Jordyn strode purposely over to Thomas despite that she had everyone's attention. Luckily she didn't get sideswiped by anyone. "Hi Thomas." Jordyn called out softly once within his hearing distance so as not to startle him. Both boys looked up at her, clearly uncertain that she was really talking to Thomas. "Surprised I'm here?" Jordyn mused at his expression.

Thomas nodded and before replying, Andy spoke up, "Omigosh, its Jordyn Poletti!! Dude, how do you know her?"

Thomas flashed a smile to Jordyn, "Hey!" Jordyn smiled at him, finding him slightly cute.

Jordyn moved to sit on the stool next to both boys. "Carl suggested getting out of the house and I decided to come visit you. I got permission from the Main Office." Jordyn leaned in to whisper privately to Thomas, "I also got permission to pull you out of class early so I could chat with you alone." Thomas nodded and proceeded to get his things together. The teacher gave a knowing nod to them and Thomas followed Carl and Jordyn out of the room. Thomas knew that later everyone would demand the gossip.

There was silence until they were outside on the front steps of the building. Thomas spoke up then, "So, what's the special visit about?" He saw an unsettling look in her eyes and grew serious.

"There's a process that induces a coma and a friend of Detective Hagen's has created that process. After much thought, I agreed to undergo this process."

Thomas interrupted then, "To see him right?" Jordyn nodded and Thomas turned to Carl, "Is this thing safe?"

Jordyn laid a hand on his arm, "That is unknown at this point. Thomas, I want to do this…I want to see him again. This may be the only way! I want you to be there with me." She gave him a pleading look.

Thomas flinched at the touch, but didn't move away. "Are you doing this for Claire or..." Jordyn quickly threw a finger to his lips to quiet him, uncaring of who was watching.

"You're against it, I can tell. But please, Thomas…please…for me!" Jordyn replied. She pulled back slightly and sent a glare to a group of girls whispering gossip. "I picked you because I thought you'd at least understand after what I told you."

Carl piped in then, "Wait…what?" Jordyn shot him a glare to shut him up.

She turned back to Thomas, waiting for his answer. Finally he replied, "You really want to do this?" She nodded. "Then count me in to be there."

Jordyn smirked and pulled him into a gracious embrace, "You have no idea how much this means to me."

Thomas remained serious, "Just get him to stop killing my friends."

Jordyn became serious as well then, "I can't guarantee that, Thomas. But like I promised Detective Hagen, I will try."

Carl coughed for their attention, "We better get going. My friend is expecting us." Jordyn and Thomas followed Carl out to his car.

* * *

"Well nice to see you have arrived." Dr. Starwick greeted them. "Oh, this must be the girl you informed me of, Carl." He glanced over Jordyn and then nodded, "Let us not waste anymore time. This way please." He led the way to a back private room. 

Jordyn's eyes were filled by the cot and the creepy looking machine by the side of it. She glanced apprehensively to Carl, who motioned her forward. With a sigh, she laid down on the cot. "Ok, Doc, whenever you're ready." Thomas moved by her side and took her by the hand.

"It's going to be ok, Jordyn." Thomas sweetly brushed the bangs from her eyes. "We'll be here." He then had to step back to allow Dr. Starwick to go about his business.

"Close your eyes and just relax." Dr. Starwick coldly advised. Jordyn obeyed and soon the silence was filled as the machine came to life.

Jordyn opened her eyes to find she was dressed differently and appeared to be in a totally different room. _No, not different. _She realized she knew this room. It was the room she once shared with him. Two picture frames directly in front of her caught her attention as she felt the breeze of the fan she stood in front of. The pictures were of two instances of her time with Freddy. Jordyn willed herself not to cry. She instead forced herself to focus on the mission.

"How did you get in here?" An unfamiliar rough male voice froze her as she was—with her back facing the figure. She then heard another angry male voice radio in to another unknown figure.

"Boss, we have an intruder in your personal quarters." Those words threatened to make her stiff body tremble, but she forced herself to remain still.

_They work for him? But I don't remember them. _She mentally tried to reason what caused the need for these two goons. She then heard a familiar voice reply over the radio. _He's coming to see to this personally. _She let the fear of seeing him again surface.

"Boss man said for you to stay put until he gets here." The first goon replied.

_Oh god, he's coming! _She clenched and unclenched her fists at her sides, trying to keep from emotionally breaking down. She had to be strong.

"I said, turn around slowly!" She heard his voice and realized that he had arrived and had been talking to her. Jordyn bowed her head, wondering if he recognized her backside. She heard the clink of his claws rubbing together and tried to shove the memory of how they felt against her flesh. "TURN AROUND!"

The anger in his voice visibly shook her. Slowly she did as ordered. She turned her head first, with her body following right behind. Only once her eyes locked on his did she manage to speak in just above a whisper, "Hi…Freddy."

"You know her boss?" The second goon appeared lost.

"I don't remember seeing her around before." The first spoke, sounding just as confused.

"Both of you leave…NOW!" Jordyn watched him angrily command his goons without breaking eye contact with her. Finally the goons bowed out of the room. Only then did Jordyn get brave enough to approach him.

"It's been a while…" She drifted off realizing she had never really planned on what to say to him if she ever saw him again. She approached him until she was in his direct path, yet she kept a distance from him. Jordyn noted his shocked expression and knew it was up to her to carry the conversation for now, "It's nice to see you again." Her voice was still soft and timid. She was unable to tell if he was really upset with her, despite his initial reaction.

Finally he gained enough sense to utter something, "Jordyn…" She nodded and took a step closer to him.

"How are you doing…Freddy?"

He closed his agape mouth and let anger consume him, "What the hell are you doing here?" She flinched back, totally not expecting such a thing. Again she cast her eyes meekly to the floor. "How dare you think you can just waltz in here like nothing happened!!" She didn't need to look at him to know he was pissed at her. Jordyn felt like crying but she held it in. "YOU LEFT ME!"

He slashed at the wall and she raised her eyes to him. "I know."

"WHY?"

A piece of the wall was torn from the abuse of his claws. Jordyn pondered a moment before answering, "I can't tell you." She had no idea why she was so fearful to tell him the truth—something was restricting her.

"And why not? Is it because you don't want to say that you don't love me?" In his anger, he roughly grabbed her by the arms and shook her. "Is it because you really fear me?!" His accusations made the tears in her eyes fall. "You only let me believe that you loved me in order to distract me from killing you."

He threatened her by placing a claw against her throat and drew blood. "You're hurting me!" She meekly choked out.

"I can do worse things to you." Silence filled the room, letting his threat of death hang thick in the air between them. She looked at him through the tears in her eyes, but it did not move him. Suddenly, he threw her to the floor. "Fuck this, just go!" He stormed out of the room and she tried to go after him, only to collapse to her knees.

She again felt the familiar lightheaded sensation. "NO!" She clutched her head and tried to stand. _Please, not again! _The pain became intense and she unwillingly shut her eyes. That made her unable to notice that Freddy had heard her scream and had come back into the room only to find her gone.

"Are you ok?" Thomas was at her side again.

Jordyn sat up in alarm only to be overwhelmed with dizziness. The feeling passed, but she didn't attempt to sit up again. Instead, she chose to unleash her anger from her horizontal position. "Why the hell did you pull me out of it?! Send me back!"

"I'm afraid we can't." Carl placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

That's when she felt the coldness on her neck. Her hand snapped to where the sensation came from and when she pulled her hand away, there was blood on it. _This was where he punctured me with his claw. But…how?_

"We had to pull you out of it when you started bleeding." Carl was genuinely concerned. "What the hell was going on, Jordyn?" She wouldn't answer.

"Maybe we should get you home." Thomas suggested.

"At least we know my machine works!" Dr. Starwick replied.

* * *

Another few days passed and Jordyn refused to answer the door each time Carl, Thomas or Elaine knocked. Her wound was healed but the impression of it lingered. While she had put herself under lockdown, Jordyn allowed her past to surface to the conscious part of her awareness. She had spent those few days dwelling on her connection to Claire. _Carl was surprised that I remembered his daughter was my childhood pen pal. But then again, it wasn't like I could forget such a thing from a pivotal moment in my life…_

_Alex Razein entered the room and when young Jordyn glanced up from her haphazard doodles, he flashed her an envelope, "Guess who got a letter today!"_

_Seeing the letter brought the first smile of the day from her lips. It had been two full years now that she had been writing to a girl in the States. Last month was Jordyn's 12__th__ birthday, and her pen pal sent her a birthday card with the letter. The past month had been rough since her illness dragged her stamina down just a bit. Alex was noticing that the letters were the only things she'd react to. "Another letter for me?" Alex nodded, not amused that this was the most she'd talked that week. Jordyn silently reached out for it and he handed it to her, not wanting to upset her. He had to be careful to not purposely get her worked up into a fit that was taking longer and longer to recover from. _

_Jordyn took the letter from Alex and then just sat there staring at it. He frowned as he watched her. "What's wrong, Jo?" She responded by scrunching her face and leaning closer to the piece of paper. That got Alex worried. He came up next to her and stared down at the paper. "Do you not like what she said?" Jordyn said nothing as she stared in concentration. Alex knelt down and turned her attention to him, "Can you even read it?" Doctors had said that sooner or later, her ability to comprehend words would eventually cease to exist. They also mentioned that writing would follow soon after, once her hand motor skills would diminish. He pointed to the 'Dear Jordyn' at the top of the page, "What does that say?"_

_Jordyn wouldn't even glance to where his finger pointed. Then he noticed her drawings. They were sloppy and even a pre-schooler would've drawn better. Jordyn timidly glanced up to see what he was looking at. She saw that he was frowning at her artwork. Only then did she respond as her figure trembled with tears, "Just like they said, Alex." _

_Alex was on his knees again and pulled her into a hug. He rocked with her a bit and then pulled back to look her in the eye, "And the writing?" She shook her head against it. Alex sighed, "It will be ok Jo…I promise." He picked up the letter and proceeded to read it to her. At least for now she could still understand and comprehend spoken words._

Jordyn ended the memory and realized that her short visit to Freddy could have put the young girl in danger. She spent the next hour in the shower as well as getting dressed and eating. Finally, she felt presentable and it was another hour to get into town.

Jordyn freaked when she noticed two news vans parked in front of the main door of the hospital. She realized that they were here to get an update on Claire's status, but if they spotted her—well, Jordyn wasn't ready for the media. Luckily, Jordyn found an unwatched side entrance and cautiously made her way to Claire's floor. It was then minor difficulty to reach the room. Once there, Jordyn noticed that Claire was alone for the moment. She entered the room confidently.

As she ran a hand through the girls' hair, she noticed that Claire seemed to be stable. "I'm sorry I let you down." Jordyn paused a moment, but hadn't realized that Carl was standing silently in the doorway slightly eavesdropping. "I thought I was ready to face him. But it hurt so much, and it had nothing to do with his claw threatening me. I was stupid to go back. I probably just sealed your death…"

Carl had to speak up then, "Don't ever say that." Jordyn flinched to his direction. "You're not stupid and Claire isn't going to die." Jordyn then stared at the floor as he walked pointedly over to her. Carl reached and pulled her gaze back up to him, "Thank you for coming to visit her again." Jordyn shrugged. "I understand why you never answered the door. But you're here now, so tell me what happened with him."

Jordyn sat down in a chair and Carl sat next to her. She was hesitant, but began, "I thought it was just a fluke to fall into a coma and appear in his world. But once Dr. Starwick put me in a coma with his machine, I appeared in Freddy's world again—only this time in the room we once shared."

"You can't get there just by falling asleep, you have to be in a coma." Carl logically pondered aloud.

"It would seem." Jordyn agreed before continuing, "I was surprised to find everything the same as I left it—well, almost the same. There were two new figures that I didn't recognize. I guess they were hired goons by Freddy to patrol his personal quarters while he terrorizes his victims elsewhere."

"Would you describe those goons as bumbling idiots?" Carl asked.

"Yeah…how did…?"

Carl interrupted, "A couple of the kids reported seeing them." Jordyn sighed. "Well, go on." Carl urged when she hesitated to continue.

"When I saw him—Freddy—I was torn between fear and lust."

At that moment, Claire twitched and fidgeted in distress. Jordyn was on her feet instantly and Carl bolted out of the room for a doctor, dragging one in within seconds. Jordyn and Carl were then ushered out of the room to allow the staff ample room to attend to Claire. Carl withheld his panic by believing that she was not going to die. Jordyn was a bit angry toward Freddy and slammed her fist on the windowsill that showed the inside of Claire's room. Carl glanced over to see Jordyn's distraught expression before a tear slid down her cheek. "Jordyn?"

She ignored that Carl was there, "Dammit, Freddy, why?!" She held back a sob at the moment. "Why couldn't you have seen how much I missed you? Instead you used your claws against me the way you PROMISED you never would." Unable to bear the weight of the pain, Jordyn crumbled to her knees amidst her sobs. She wanted to just return to her coma to get back to him. Instead, she only felt sick to her stomach. The combination of pain and nausea made her faint.

"Shit." Carl turned to look down the hallway, "I need help here!" Doctors and nurses heard his shout and came to his aid. In moments, they had Jordyn on a bed and wheeled her a few doors down to an empty room. Carl sat by her side since he wasn't yet allowed back into the room with Claire. But he knew that didn't matter—not at the moment. He had to make sure Jordyn was ok first. Without her, there was no hope to save his daughter. Carl was aware that he felt Jordyn at complete fault for his daughter's status—but then he warred within himself that Jordyn was a victim as well, from the strange illness that sent her to Freddy in the first place. Jordyn shifted to her side, and now faced Carl, but didn't open her eyes. Instead, she trembled and cried more. Carl tried to comfort her, "Jordyn, it's going to be ok."

Finally, her eyes snapped open, "Send me back!"

"What?"

"If I don't go back, she will die." Carl definitely heard her determination as her voice was eerily stern. "Send. Me. Back."

"I'm not sure that's a good idea, Jo." Carl tried to sway her.

"It's sweet that you think us friends, but…" Jordyn knew why Carl was hesitant to heed her order. "That won't happen again, I promise." She sat up. "I wasn't totally prepared to face him before."

"What makes you think you're prepared now?"

"I just am. Now, take me to Dr. Starwick or I go myself."

Carl saw she wasn't going to take no for an answer. With a sigh he stood up, "Alright, let's go."

* * *

_A/N: So much drama, eh? Do you think that Jordyn really did get Claire killed? And by going back to the Nightmare World for a third time, would her actions bring more damage? I don't know bout you, but I sure hope things turn out ok for everyone!_


	5. Flashback: How It Began

_Disclaimer: see the intro_

* * *

**Chapter 4**

_Flashback: How it began_

Eleven year old Jordyn awoke with a start and dimly noted the sunshine pouring into her room. A quick glance over towards Alex, her father, revealed that he was still asleep. Briefly she thought of how he started sleeping in the same room with her in order to successfully be there for her 'episodes'—the same episodes that threatened her at that moment.

It always began with a burning numbness in the pit of her stomach—a sure sign of what she feared the most. In silent haste, she scampered off to the bathroom. Just as she locked the door, she had no choice but to scurry onto the small rug at the opposite end underneath the window. She felt the numbness spreading rather quickly, so she sat down and waited.

Jordyn sensed she didn't have to wait long. In seconds the burning sensation erupted tenfold and shot through her entire small figure. She had no choice but to lie down and curl up into a ball.

She endured the searing pain that made her often wish for her soul to just float away from it all. Everything from her vital organs to her sensitive bone structure felt as if it all was becoming liquefied from an insatiable scorching heat. And this was only half of the now twice daily episodes that she had. A year ago, she only had them once every few weeks.

Meanwhile, Alex awoke and noticed that the twin bed next to him was empty. After shoving his bare feet into fuzzy slippers, he checked the other side of the bed. When he didn't find her on the floor, Alex turned and walked the hallway, "Jordyn?" He checked the playroom and then the kitchen, coming up empty. "Jordyn?" He called out again, giving another sweep down the hallway. Just as he passed the bathroom door, he heard her cries of pain. He banged at the door after finding it locked. "Jo…open up!!"

The burning pain had just died down and phase two of her episodes would soon follow. She used what strength she had and managed to unlock the door. "Daddy…"

He knelt down and eased her into his arms. "Shh, it's ok, Jo." Suddenly, she went completely limp in his arms. Her eyes closed and her flesh became completely cool while she struggled for breath. Alex held her protectively and chanted, "Just remember to breath. Focus on the breathing and forget everything else." Another ten minutes passed before her breathing returned to normal and she was able to open her eyes. Alex watched her for the sign that the episode was over. Finally, her eyes focused on him and she shifted in his hold to let him know she had control of her limbs again. "C'mon, let's go have breakfast." He calmly spoke.

By the time they reached the kitchen, Jordyn was talking. "Did Claire's letter come yet?" She had been writing to a girl back in the States for a year now.

Alex moved over to the fridge and pulled out the carton of eggs. "Check on the table in the hallway." She eagerly ran into the hallway, and while most parents would lecture their kid about running in the house, Alex was grateful that she could still do such a thing. Suddenly there was a thump and then a startled cry. Alex dropped the spoon into the bowl and dashed into the hallway. Jordyn had tripped on a pair of shoes that normally could have been easily avoided and when Alex spotted her she appeared dazed from the force of the blow during the fall. "Jo?"

It took a moment for her to come around, "I fell."

"I see that." He then tried to make the situation less emotional and turned her to focus on something else. "Did you get the letter?"

She looked around her and found the letter in her left hand, "Oh, here it is."

"C'mon and read it at the table while I finish making breakfast." Alex helped her up and walked back to the kitchen with her. Jordyn sat down at the table and began reading. He came around and set a glass of milk and buttered toast by her. "Almost got the eggs done."

"Ok." There was a bit more silence and then finally Jordyn glanced up, "I want to write back to her!"

"After you eat, ok?" He chuckled and set a plate of eggs down in front of her.

* * *

Two weeks passed with just the usual set routine to occupy most of their days. Since the emergence of her condition almost two years ago, she had been featured on local and national news from time to time. Her story created a small following, but somehow she appeared unknown to the majority of the public. "Where are we going, Daddy?" Alex helped Jordyn into her coat while she talked.

"To the supermarket." He replied, leaving it unvoiced that he was afraid to leave her home alone for much too long. He had no choice but to risk the chance that they would run into someone that recognized her from the news. Like the countless times before, he was grateful for the news—it had allowed a young girl from the States to get the chance to at least perk up Jordyn when she would feel down.

"Can I get something?"

He nodded, "No candy, Jo." She frowned. "You remember what happened the last time you ate a candy bar?" Jordyn nodded. The day in question was a nightmare. Within moments of finishing the entire thing in less than an hour of purchase, the sweet chocolate settled into her system—sending her into a sugar high. Jordyn became so hyper that her sickly body began to frighteningly shut down. Once she was revived in the emergency room, doctors explained that although she's had candy before, she can no longer have it. Her strange illness had ascended into a new stage.

"How bout a toy?" She got his approval then. Twenty-five minutes later, they were wheeling a shopping cart down an aisle. Alex stopped and pulled out a list from her doctors describing what foods were safe for her. Jordyn walked ahead of him a bit, scanning the various selections on the shelves—most of it she knew she couldn't have.

"Hi." Jordyn looked up and saw an older kid standing next to her. The boy reached for the box she had been staring at. "Do you like these?" He asked her.

Jordyn shook her head, "I'm not allowed to eat those."

"Bummer, you're missing out!" And the boy walked away.

She sighed, _"No kidding!"_ She stared again at the shelf of boxes when she soon felt the numbness. Jordyn hurriedly walked back to Alex. "Dad…"

He looked down at her, noticing that she was clenching and releasing her fists. He whipped his gaze up and down the aisle, realizing that there were a few other shoppers in the same aisle. Another quick look at Jordyn and he knew they wouldn't make it to the car. "Move over here." Alex pulled her to stand between him and a free-standing display case. "Try and remain on your feet, Jo." He sounded apologetic.

Alex soon felt her preteen hands clench in pain on the hem of his shirt. He comfortingly held her close and whispered encouragement to her. Some shoppers passed by, giving him a strange or curious look. He just ignored them—Jordyn's comfort was his only priority right now. The ten minutes seemed like infinity, but her pain eventually receded. She looked up at him and he froze at the sight of her tear stained face. Alex wiped at her cheeks and wondered how long before phase two hit her—though sometimes it wouldn't come at all, there was no way of telling. Alex could see the questioning of it in her eyes.

"Is she ok?" A woman's voice interrupted them.

"She's been a little sick but she'll be fine. Thank you for your concern." Alex hoped the woman got the hint to just move along. But at that moment, Jordyn collapsed against the shelf behind her and her arm collided with some cans, sending them to the floor loudly. "JO!" He glanced to his daughter in time to see her meet the floor like a rag doll. Instantly, Alex was on his knees at her side.

"Should I get help?"

"We'll be fine. But thank you for your concern." Alex turned his attention back to Jordyn, "C'mon, Jo…" He sat there for 15 minutes before she finally stirred. When he stood up with her in his arms, he noticed the manager standing there.

The manager saw Jordyn open her eyes sluggishly, "She ok now?"

Alex glanced down to her and sensed that this manager knew who she was. "It took her a bit longer to shake it off…but she's ok now."

The manager motioned to the half filled shopping cart, "You can have whatever is in your cart on us. I'll have some bag boys carry it to your car for you." He pulled out a talkie and paged a couple of his workers.

"No, you don't have to do that." Alex didn't want others to think that he would easily accept any type of charity. None of that mattered to him anyways.

"Oh, but I insist. Anything to help make this difficult time easier for you."

Alex sighed and just nodded to the manager's pity concern. "Da-ddy…" Her voice was so soft and light.

"Don't try and talk now, honey. Save up your strength." He advised her, she absently nodded. Two bag boys appeared then.

"Ah, Mark and Nathan, take the groceries to this mans car for him." Both boys nodded to the manager and carried out the task.

* * *

A few days after that incident, Jordyn felt well enough so Alex arranged for her to call her pen pal from the States. Both men talked first before handing the phone over to the girls.

"I'm so glad to get to talk to you, Jordyn." Claire began.

Alex watched a smile creep on Jordyn's face, "Me too!"

"Have you been on TV again?"

"I think I'm supposed to visit them soon. I forget when." Jordyn answered.

"That's cool. Do you get nervous?"

"Not really, but sometimes their lights hurt my eyes."

The girls chatted for thirty minutes until Alex noticed that Jordyn's eyes were drooping and she began talking sluggishly. "Sorry, Claire, but I have to end this call now. Jo's looking a bit tired."

"Oh that's ok, Mr. Poletti. I had a lot of fun."

"Well so did she." Alex offered. "We'll see about doing this again." Then he hung up.

* * *

Around Jordyn's twelfth birthday, things got worse. Her episodes happened now at least three times a day and lasted much longer than before. Jordyn took to preferring verbally answering yes or no questions and saying a complete sentence proved extremely difficult for her. Alex entered the room and when Jordyn glanced up from her haphazard doodles, he flashed an envelope, "Guess who got a letter today!"

Seeing the letter brought the first smile of the day from her lips. It had been difficult as of late to get her to smile. Alex noted that she gave one when a new letter from Claire arrived, but those were even brief. "Another letter for me?" Alex nodded, not amused that this was the most she'd talked that week. Jordyn silently reached out for it and he handed it to her, not wanting to upset her. He had to be careful to not purposely get her worked up into a fit that was taking longer and longer to recover from.

Jordyn took the letter from Alex and then just sat there staring at it. He frowned as he watched her. "What's wrong, Jo?" She responded by scrunching her face and leaning closer to the piece of paper. That got Alex worried. He came up next to her and stared down at the paper. "Do you not like what she said?" Jordyn said nothing as she stared in concentration. Alex knelt down and turned her attention to him, "Can you even read it?" Doctors had said that sooner or later, her ability to comprehend words would eventually cease to exist. They also mentioned that writing would follow soon after, once her hand motor skills would diminish. He pointed to the 'Dear Jordyn' at the top of the page, "What does that say?"

Jordyn wouldn't even glance to where his finger pointed. Then he noticed her drawings. They were sloppy and even a pre-schooler would've drawn better. Jordyn timidly glanced up to see what he was looking at. She saw that he was frowning at her artwork. Only then did she respond as her figure trembled with tears, "Just like they said, Alex."

Alex was on his knees again and pulled her into a hug. He was unnerved that she called him by first name, "And the writing?" She shook her head against it. Alex sighed, "It will be ok Jo…I promise." He picked up the letter and proceeded to read it to her. At least for now she could still understand and comprehend spoken words.

That night, while she slept, Alex penned a letter to Claire—as well as to Claire's father—explaining that the pen pal relationship would have to be discontinued.

* * *

As time went on, Jordyn was slipping further and further into herself. By the age of 14, she had stopped talking altogether. The day that it had started nearly sent Alex into depression, but he maintained his sanity for her sake. He knew he needed to be strong for the both of them.

For a brief period during her 15th year, Jordyn was stable in her condition. Doctors noted that she displayed autistic behavior and would only respond to Alex. He arranged for a special charity dinner to be held immediately. Alex saw it as a chance to collect optional donations for Jordyn's medical care and arrange a meet and greet for those in attendance. Alex also hoped that Jordyn would be encouraged enough to want to fight against the illness.

The day of the event arrived and Jordyn seemed to be in good spirits. All that week she had been self-aware of her surroundings as well as initiating semi-conversations between her and Alex. When they arrived at the location of the event, Alex noticed the excellent attendance rate. There were also a few invited TV stations. They were told they were only allowed to film the meet and greet—and would have to leave right after.

During the meet and greet, Alex was surprised that Jordyn behaved and had no episodes. However, she lasted nearly an hour and a half before getting fidgety. "What is she doing?" A female guest nodded toward Jordyn.

Alex knelt down to Jordyn's level to find out what was wrong. "Oh. That's just her hunger signal." He stood up and waved a nearby caterer employee over.

"Is something wrong, Mr. Poletti?" The man asked.

"Ah, Dylan…assemble a food plate for my daughter, as soon as possible."

"Right away, Sir."

Jordyn dug into her meal ten minutes later. She finished it within the hour and just sat around while the rest of the guests were served buffet style. Alex sat down with his selection and managed a few bites before Jordyn caught his attention. "What is it, Jo?" She signaled for seconds and just as he turned to send someone to fill the request, she had grabbed her plate and walked toward the buffet line. He was delighted that she took the initiative, but made sure to keep an eye on her.

Those in line were respectful not to bother her and soon she was making her way back to the table. However, Jordyn reached the point evenly between the buffet line and her table before she stopped in her tracks. Noisily, her plate crashed to the floor and the food splattered everywhere. Alex turned in time to see her collapse into a heap like a rag doll. "Shit!" He was on his feet and at her side instantly.

In a rarity that he prayed would never happen again, he realized that she was enduring both parts of her episodes simultaneously. He was banned from his attempts to scoop her up since her flesh radiated the searing heat that she often felt internally. Alex was left with no choice but to wait until she opened her eyes to signify that the episode was over. Fifteen minutes passed before she stirred but didn't open her eyes. Alex's hand hovered over her to make sure it was safe to touch her yet. Her skin felt cool and without further hesitation, he scooped her up. He handed her to the attending doctor, who whisked her off the premises and into an awaiting vehicle. Alex quickly made an announcement to the crowd, "I apologize, but Jordyn just had a very terrifying episode so we are taking leave. We thank you all for coming. Enjoy the remainder of the event!" He joined Jordyn and the doctor in the car and it sped off.

That night he made immediate plans to move without alerting anyone—to make it hard for media to keep track of her. Meanwhile, Alex continued to urge her to fight this. But he only was rewarded with her becoming bedridden by the time she was nearly 16.

"It's not long now, Alex. I'm sorry." He had befriended one of her specialists. It was of convenience as well—to have the doctor at their immediate disposal.

"Dammit, I won't accept this." Alex motioned to his teenaged daughter lying in bed like a vegetable. "I can't stand to see her like this. There's no way for her to tell us what she is feeling." Alex grew furious.

"We've speculated that she'll slip into a coma and going peacefully won't be far behind then."

"NO!" Alex let his anger overwhelm him as he stomped to the door. "What the hell have I hired you specialists for if all you can do is give me a timeline to her death!?" He slammed his door not waiting for an answer. In moments the friend heard the angry wail of Alex's car speed off down the street.

The day Jordyn finally fell into her coma was a few days before her 17th birthday and exactly four months later, her father died in a car accident. With no other family member to step in as guardian for her, Jordyn became a property of the State. A political figure felt moved enough to fund for her hospital care.

* * *

But Jordyn wasn't just a lifeless figure in a permanent hospital room. Within some other realm where an infamous figure haunted the dreams of young teens, she existed.

Objects and a soft light replaced the darkness that she had just grown accustomed to. _"Where am I?"_ She gazed around her at the surroundings and noted how it looked exactly like a warehouse. Jordyn realized that there was no pain in any part of her body. "Am I dead?" She then realized she talked aloud and sounded…normal. "Oh my god, I can talk." She heard a noise off in the distance and clamped a hand to her mouth. Curiosity drew her towards the noise, _"And I can walk just fine!"_

When Jordyn got close enough to where she guessed the sound came from, a young boy fell into view. And he looked panicked. As the boy tried to scramble to his feet, a menacing figure pounced on the boy. "Times up!" Jordyn froze. The figure had raised his hand and instead of fingers she saw claws. After she took note of the rest of his appearance, Jordyn had gasped loud enough to capture his attention.

_"Shit! Run, Jo, run!"_ But she couldn't move, even as the menacing figure approached her.

"Well now, what do we have here?" He licked his lips hungrily and Jordyn managed to barely edge back one step. "Don't think of escaping now. You have to take the place of what I lost."

She knew he meant about losing the boy when she distracted them. Finally, Jordyn had enough sense to turn and run, but the figure growled and tackled her. She cried out as he towered over her. She was now in the same position that she had seen him with the boy. "Please don't hurt me!" Her useless plea fell on deaf ears. Jordyn opened her eyes to see him raise the clawed hand. In an instant decision, she grabbed hold of his green and red stripped sweater and pressed her lips to his. While he was startled, she fled. Once she felt she had put enough distance between her and the figure she stopped running to catch her breath, "What the hell did I just do?"

For the next few days, she wandered around but made sure she was able to avoid him. Finally he had caught up to her. "I know you've been here the whole time." She whipped around and found him standing there. "Pretty bold move you did. Don't think anyone's ever thought of that before to make the escape easier." He drew closer to her. She didn't move away or reply to him. "I allowed you to think you had safely gotten away, since at the moment I was contemplating the kiss."

Jordyn gulped, "Wha…what are you gonna do to me?"

In moments, she was pinned beneath him again, "Now this feels familiar." He teased her. Her intent to escape again was snuffed out when he kissed her—only this time it was deeper and lasted longer. "I know who you are, Jordyn."

She gasped in surprise from his revelation as well as the sensation of his claws trailing lightly down her suddenly exposed chest. "H-how do you know me?"

"That doesn't matter."

"Then who are you?"

"You can call me Freddy."

Cautiously, she reached up and removed his fedora before running a hand over his bald burnt head. "Kiss me again." She was feeling rather bold now and he obliged her. Within moments, a bed appeared around them—but she was hardly aware of such a thing as he began to make love to her.

* * *

_A/N: And now y'all know all about Jordyn's childhood. Being near death sure makes a girl do crazy things...like making out with a sociopath. I'd like to thank my two repeatitive reviewers...thanx for sticking with me thru this crazy ride. I sure hope I get some more. _


	6. Queen of Dreamworld?

_Disclaimer: see the intro_**

* * *

**

**Chapter 5**

Carl called Dr. Starwick to arrange to meet at Jordyn's house, upon her insistence. Dr. Starwick was eager to test his machine again, so he quickly agreed to the meeting. Carl busied himself by making coffee, while Jordyn sat on the couch tightly clutching the fedora to her chest. They both waited for the doctor. "Where'd you get that?" Carl came and sat next to her.

She didn't glance up, "A store." She sighed and set to explain better, "I saw it on a rack at the town department store and felt the need to buy it. Other than memories, I hadn't much else to remember him by."

"Oh, I thought it was his." Carl held out his hand, "Mind if I see it?" She nodded assent and let him hold the hat. When someone knocked on the door, she went to answer it.

Jordyn opened the door and expected to see the doctor, "Thomas?"

"Hi, I wanted to see you." Neither of them mentioned her refusal to answer the door before. She quietly moved aside to let him in. Thomas then noticed Carl. "Mr. Hagen?"

Carl glanced up, "Hi, Thomas."

"What are you doing here?"

"Claire had some sort of fit earlier and Jordyn was apparently more upset by it than I was."

"I'm trying again." Jordyn replied vaguely.

"You're going under, again?" She nodded to Thomas's question. Another knock and this time Carl answered it.

"Ah, you made it!" When Carl led Dr. Starwick back into the living room, Thomas and Jordyn were arguing.

"You've got to be out of your mind, Jordyn!"

"Why are you against me going?!" She shot back. "I'm not just doing this for me, Thomas…but for Claire, you, your friends and other teens that we hardly know!"

"I like you Jordyn! Does that not matter?" His revelation stunned her.

"You what?"

"I said I like you." He sighed. "Actually, no…I'm in love with you."

She numbly shook her head, "You can't."

"Too late."

"I don't feel the same way. Thomas, my heart belongs to him—I belong to him."

Thomas slunk down on the couch, "I know. But it doesn't stop the way I feel." There was silence until Dr. Starwick spoke up.

"Shall we do this or should I just leave?"

Jordyn took his hand and led him to her bedroom. "Detective, bring the machine in here."

As Jordyn lay down on her bed, Carl handed the fedora back to her. "If you start bleeding again, we're pulling you out."

She looked up at Carl and patted his hand, "That won't be necessary." She shifted, felt a comfortable spot and settled into it. "By the way, I remembered that Claire was my pen pal during the early stages of my illness. Does she remember me?"

"You remembered?" She nodded to Carl's question. "She was heartbroken when we received the letter from your father explaining that the pen pal program was over." Carl leaned over and squeezed her hand, "By the way, where IS your father?"

"He died in a car accident while I was in a coma." Just then the machine fired up and soon Jordyn was slipping.

* * *

Once again, Jordyn was in their room—but this time she was prepared. Quickly she exited and began descending down a long hallway. After a few minutes, she had reached the warehouse. Jordyn had to force herself to focus. She had to fight against seeking him out and instead put her attention to finding where he hid Claire. She also knew she had to avoid his goons.

"Alright, Freddy…where do you put your prisoners?" She spoke softly to herself. Jordyn turned a corner and bumped into a figure.

"Jordyn, right?"

She took a good look at the figure and didn't recognize him. "What do you want?"

"It's me Andy, Thomas's friend." The boy explained.

She then recalled the boy from memory before her expression grew concerned, "What are you doing here?"

"I fell asleep. He's been chasing me around. I swear to God I thought you were him." He replied. "Thank God you're here!"

"Shh, keep your voice down, Andy." She sighed—knowing that she hadn't a clue on how to get him back safely to their world. "Well, you might as well stick with me."

"You bet I am." He confidently spoke. Andy saw her glance around, "What are you looking for?"

"Trying to find Claire." She turned pointedly to Andy. "Do you know where he keeps his prisoners?"

"Isn't that something you should know?" He appeared shocked that she asked him that.

"Well, I never really got a full blown tour. Only a few certain places I know and back then, it wasn't necessary for me to know."

"I get it. It's cool." Andy reached for her hand. "Yeah, I know the way." They walked quietly for a bit. "We're almost there."

"That's far enough." Andy and Jordyn spun around to see the two goons practically on top of them. Andy started shaking in his sneakers, but Jordyn appeared calm.

"Let me handle this, Andy." She whispered to the boy and stepped toward the goons. "He's with me, so back off if you know what's good for you." The goons glared at her, but made no threatening moves toward her or Andy.

"Give us the boy, Boss is looking for him." The second goon spoke. Jordyn just stared defiantly.

"You know you better feel damn grateful that the Boss likes you so much or else…"

Jordyn cut them off, "Or else what? Should I tell him you're threatening me?" That shut them up and they stormed off in a huff.

"Wow, you're like the Queen here." Andy exclaimed. Jordyn shot him a look.

As she pushed past Andy, she mumbled, "Shut up."

"What did I say?"

She stopped and spun to him. "It's not like I asked for this." She motioned her arm out from her. "Why me?! Why couldn't I have just died?!" She dropped her arm and turned away before he could see the tears, "I should have just let him kill me!"

Her outburst had caught Freddy's attention. He arrived on the scene, but stayed back while she ranted. However, her last rant caused him to step forward, "Why did you come back?"

Andy instinctively tried to step back, but he only collided with a pile of crates. He froze as they nosily clattered to the floor. Jordyn flinched from the piercing sound, but didn't move. Her eyes were locked onto Freddy. For an unnerving few minutes, no one dared to speak.

Silently, Jordyn stepped closer to Freddy. Once she was in arms reach of him, she let her tears fall. "Freddy…" Her voice was a whisper and he clearly saw the pain in her eyes. Freddy grunted, but opened his arms up to her. Jordyn broke down in full tears then and fell into his embrace, "Oh god…"

Freddy quickly glanced to Andy, "Get out of here, and take that girl with you." A door appeared behind Andy, which was hidden before by the crates. Andy quickly left the room. Freddy turned his attention back to the woman in his arms and softly stroked his normal fingers through her hair. Jordyn hugged herself tightly to him and cried into his stripped sweater. "It's ok now, Jo."

"No…it's not." She forced her sobs down in order to talk to him. "I…have to…tell you something." Jordyn pulled away from him, but still remained in his arms. "About why I left you in the first place."

Freddy moved her to sit in a chair that just appeared there. "Tell me."

She took a moment to gather herself. "I had been mysteriously sick a few years before ever showing up here in your world. I was supposed to die, but instead when I fell into a coma, I wound up here." Jordyn looked up at him, but his expression revealed nothing. She continued. "I was afraid of you, but mostly there was an attraction to you. That's why I kissed you." Finally, Freddy took her hand in his.

"This I already know, since I was there!" He reminded her. "I'm still waiting to here why you left."

"But that's part of it. You see, I was in a coma. And instead of dying, I got better—healthier. I faded from here because I woke up there." She forced her tears not to fall just yet. "When my hand first started fading, I knew what was going to happen. I was suddenly so scared. For some reason, I felt I had to get alone—and away from you." Freddy nodded for her to continue. "When I returned, it was to try and find Claire. But when I saw you—everything fell apart inside of me." Absently, her hand went to her neck and Freddy understood the action.

"I didn't mean to hurt you, but I was angry with you."

"I know. I suppose I deserved it."

"NO!" He shot back defensively. "I promised I'd never hurt you, but I did."

Jordyn sighed. "After I woke up from my coma, I tried so hard to get back here. It hurt so much to be away from you."

"I'm assuming nothing worked."

"Not even hypnotists could help." She replied before breaking down into tears again. "I bought a hat in a store because it reminded me of you. But, I wanted to forget you so it wouldn't hurt so much." Freddy pulled her closer to him and pressed his lips to hers. She let it linger briefly before pulling back. "I have to know one thing."

"What?"

"Why did you keep Claire here?"

When he pulled back, she saw an amused expression on his face. "I had this feeling that word of her entrapment would eventually reach you."

Jordyn frowned, unsure if she liked his answer. "I guess I shouldn't have been surprised." She boldly reached for his hat and placed it on her head. As she had done countless times before, she reached again and ran her hand over the bumpy burnt flesh of his bald head. She leaned in close to him and whispered, "I missed you so much. Make love to me, Freddy." And he realized that he couldn't say no to her.

* * *

Thomas stood over Jordyn's immobile figure. "Should we wake her up yet? Do you think she's found Claire?"

Carl sighed, "Would you just relax?" Carl's cell phone rang and he left the room to take the call.

Thomas turned to the doctor. "How long can she be under like this? Is it safe to wait so long?"

Dr. Starwick was busy making notes. "Relax as the detective advised, young man." Thomas huffed and Dr. Starwick set his notes down, "She is perfectly fine as the readings…" Suddenly the readings of the heartbeat monitor spiked. "Very peculiar."

"What does that mean?!" Thomas was on the midst of panicking. "Is that bad? That's bad!" He turned back toward her immobile figure. "We gotta pull her out."

"Just wait!" The doctor replied in an amused tone and Thomas shot him a look. "You aren't catching on."

"What are you talking about?"

"She is fine." The doctor began to explain. "But feel her skin." Thomas did so, and her skin felt flushed—much like someone in the midst of a strenuous bed activity. Thomas felt embarrassed. "It would not be wise to pull her out at the moment."

Carl returned and heard the last part of the conversation, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong, Carl." The doctor replied. "Thomas was just letting jealousy override him."

"I'm not jealous!" Thomas shot back and the doctor only chuckled.

"I don't get it." Carl scratched his head.

"She obviously has found Freddy and is a wee bit occupied." Dr. Starwick vaguely replied.

But Carl understood. He shook his head then, "Well…Claire woke up."

Thomas spun towards Carl, "She's awake?"

"Then it's safe to assume that our dear girl here found your daughter and convinced Freddy to let her go."

"But what about Jordyn?" Thomas asked.

"We will have to pull her out of this." Dr. Starwick advised. "A person isn't meant to be manually placed in a coma for very long. I'm just allowing her to have her special moment." Carl nodded.

"I'll make us something to eat. Let me know when she wakes." Carl left the room. Thomas pulled up a chair and sat by Jordyn's side.

* * *

_A/N: What's a girl to do when a High School boy admits his feelings about her? Silly boy, ya know she's in love with a killer. Thanx for trying though. And goodness, she's finally able to explain her disappearance to Freddy and appears to be on good terms with him again. But don't worry, y'all...the fun is just beginning!_


	7. Revelations and a Death Message

_Disclaimer: see the intro_**

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**Chapter 6**

Jordyn excitedly cried out his name during the last wave of pleasure between them. The content feeling returned as she snuggled against him. There was still so much more to discuss, but neither of them wanted to ruin the moment. "Better than I remember…" She commented absently.

"And you're just as enthralling as ever." She could easily hear the smile in his voice.

Jordyn languidly ran her hand across the burnt flesh of his chest, "If someone were to have approached me eight years ago and said I'd fall head over heels for a sociopath with burnt flesh, I would have just laughed—well, if I was able to."

Freddy chuckled, "Well, I would've never thought I would fall for someone else. I used to live in your world—had a wife and kid too."

"You were married? Oh I'm so jealous of her."

"You don't have to be—I wasn't exactly really there for them. Not like how I need to be with you, Jo." He assured her.

"Are they still alive?" Jordyn asked.

Freddy sighed, "I managed to track down my daughter. It was difficult since she changed her name. I wanted her to join me—I was desperate for any type of companionship."

"Well, I guess it's safe to assume she turned you down."

"She made it clear she wanted nothing to do with me."

"Then she is foolish." Jordyn leaned into him and deeply kissed him. She then pulled back for air and set to run her hand over his bald head again. But the moment she placed her hand on his head, she froze. "NO!" Instantly she pulled completely away from Freddy and turned her back on him as she sat on the edge of the bed.

Freddy sat up, "Jo, what is it?" He touched her shoulder and she jerked away.

"Don't touch me!" He could tell she was crying. Freddy jumped out of bed and forced her to face him. "No, Freddy, let go!" But then he saw her hand fade as well as her arm.

"Jo?" He blinked in shock at her and didn't stop her from backing up a step.

"I'm sorry, Freddy. Tonight, I'll send Thomas to explain things to you." And then she vanished. Freddy bellowed in anger.

Jordyn opened her eyes and anger shown through them. "Thank God you're alright!" She heard from Thomas and was vaguely aware that he clutched her hand like a treasure. Roughly, she yanked her hand free. "Jo?"

"…why?" Her voice whispered harshly.

Thomas ignored her and turned to Dr. Starwick, "I'll tell Mr. Hagen that she's awake now." Jordyn grunted as he left the room.

"Sorry, Ms. Poletti, but I had no choice but to pull you out again." Dr. Starwick explained after seeing her seething stare. "And I'm afraid I can't send you back anymore. Unfortunately, your body won't be able to handle it."

A tear slid down her cheek as Thomas and Carl entered the room. "Dinner is ready." Carl announced. "Hey, Jordyn, how you feeling?"

She slowly sat up and stared at fedora, "I'll never see him again. Dr. Starwick says he can't use his machine on me anymore."

"But you saved Claire!" Carl excitedly proclaimed.

"Elaine is holding a celebration in Claire's honor. You should come, Jo." Thomas reached for her hand.

Again she jerked out of his range, slipped the fedora on her head and stormed from the room.

During dinner, conversations were scarce. Her dessert was a small container of Jell-O Chocolate Pudding as she sat on the couch. Thomas sat next to her and finally she looked at him, "If you find yourself in his world tonight, just mention your name and that you know me." She proceeded to walk away, but Thomas caught her by the arm.

"What?"

She ignored Thomas and stood up, "Detective…you're welcome to stay…but the rest of you have to leave."

* * *

Days had passed and Jordyn's life suddenly felt uneventful. She had spent most of whenever possible with Carl—but made it clear that she wouldn't visit Claire. Jordyn had felt only safe enough with him. Thomas was out of the question—with his well known feelings towards her. And there was no need to see Dr. Starwick anymore. 

After arriving home after one late night outing with Carl, she found that mysteriously her electricity refused to work. A noise from her bedroom froze her where she stood. Jordyn took a gulp and her mind wildly wondered who the intruder could be. Voices then fluttered around her upon a non-existent breeze.

Jordyn gasped, but could see no one around her. "Who…who's there?" The answer came in the form of her store bought fedora floating strangely into the hallway towards her.

"This hat is fake. Is your love fake as well?"

She blinked after hearing the voices give complete thoughts to her. "What do you want?"

She heard a soft cackle, "Come to your room to see."

Jordyn stood in refusal until the fedora hovered before making its way back to the bedroom. She then felt no choice but to do as the voice suggested in order to get to the bottom of this nonsense. "I so don't need this." She mumbled and sulked cautiously down the hallway. When she turned the corner and entered her room, she was immediately stricken still by the sight before her.

"You are more glamorous than we thought." A taller, stockier apparition had spoken. Two other apparitions flanked the tall one.

"What the hell?" Jordyn blurted out

The tall one mock bowed, "Pardon us for not properly introducing ourselves." The smallest of the three stepped forward, apparently the leader of the group.

"We are the entities responsible for Krueger's powers."

Instantly, her hand covered her mouth but she quickly recovered from the surprise, "What do you want with me?"

"It's time to bring you to where you truly belong, Jordyn." The medium sized one responded.

"And where's that?"

"By the side of the Dream Master…" The tall one began.

"…as his Dream Mistress." The small one finished.

"I don't think I follow."

The small one sighed and was instantly directly behind her, "It's a pity that you suffered so long."

"From the illness." The medium one clarified.

Without missing a beat, the small one continued, "But we knew it was necessary to start early in order to have you ready at the appropriate time."

"I don't get what my illness has to…" She then stopped in mid-sentence.

"She understands!" The tall one exclaimed to his companions.

"…why did you call me Dream Mistress?"

"It's your fated path, dear Jordyn." The small one answered.

"He longs for companionship." Added the tall one.

"He tried for his daughter and failed miserably." The medium one piped in.

"But she wasn't meant for him anyway." The small one was now in front of her again."You proved that to us during those three years."

Jordyn frowned. "Wait…are you saying that it was Freddy that did that to me?"

"Don't give that poor fool the credit **WE** deserve." The tall one spat.

"Your illness was of our creation, Jordyn. It was the only way to get you to our world the way we needed you." The small one revealed.

Jordyn was appalled then. _"The way they needed me?"_ She then shook her head at them. "Well, whatever you wanted me for…I've failed. I can't get to his world anymore!"

"Oh but you can…" The tall one excitedly chattered.

"Do you remember how you got there before?"

She had interrupted the small one. "How I got there…was a fluke the first time and the next two times were induced." The small one chuckled. "What is so funny?"

"You assume the only way you can get there is through a coma. THAT is what's so funny." She huffed at the small one.

"Ok, smart ass…how else can I get there?"

The medium one fidgeted, "We are here to teach you how to travel between worlds."

"I don't get it. If you knew of another way to get me to your world…then why did you make me so sick? Why did you insist on putting me into a coma?"

"It was necessary. We couldn't just throw your physical body into it. It was best to take the long route to get you used to it." The small one explained.

"Ya know what…suddenly I'm not so interested." She turned her back on them. "Just leave!"

"Are you sure?" The medium one asked.

"Don't you want to get back to him? Isn't that what your heart wants?" She refused to answer the touching questions from the tall one.

"Very well then." The small one spoke. "We shall take our leave." Jordyn turned to see them fade away. The duplicate fedora then plopped down at her feet as one final comment came from the small one, "If you change your mind, then just shout out 'Dream Demons' when you are alone."

Jordyn stared at the hat while silence filled in around her. She slowly sunk to her knees to pick up the fedora. As she turned to walk out of the room, planning to sleep on the couch after her room was invaded, she mumbled, "Whatever."

* * *

"Oh no, not again!" Everywhere Thomas looked his sight was filled with the dreaded warehouse. He spotted a door and ran to it. "Please be the exit!" When he burst through it, he found himself in a bedroom. Thomas gulped, but was curious. He had been sucked into Dreamworld before, but had never known this room was here. A few picture frames on the wall caught his attention. Thomas stepped closer until he could make out the figures in the picture. _"Jordyn?"_ His eyes darted to the bed again, "Shit!" 

Thomas realized that this was the room Jordyn had shared with Freddy. He wasn't sure to be nauseated at the thought of Freddy 'getting busy' or scared shitless of being caught in the killer's private bedroom. "That's one of my favorite pictures of her."

Thomas whipped around and saw Freddy blocking the only exit. The young boy gulped and wished he could just wake up now. Freddy proceeded to close the distance between them. Just then Thomas remembered the advice Jordyn had given him, "M-my…my name's…T-T-Thomas. I-I know…I know J-Jordyn Pol-Pol-Poletti…"

That made Freddy pause and frown. "She said she would send you to me." He made a motion with his hand and suddenly Thomas was knocked into a chair that wasn't there before. Before Thomas could react, he was strapped to the chair.

"Please don't kill me." Thomas struggled to get free.

"Oh, I won't kill you..." Thomas began to feel relieved until Freddy added, "…yet." Instantly, the dream killer knelt behind Thomas. The chair then sprouted wheels and Freddy swiftly launched the chair towards the nearest wall. Thomas closed his eyes, but never felt the oncoming collision with the wall. When he opened his eyes, Thomas realized that he went through the wall. Freddy was there to bring the rolling chair to a halt and then leaned in to whisper in the boy's ear, "She mentioned that you would have a message for me. But I'm not so sure I'm interested in the message." Freddy stood up. "What I am interested in…is sending her a message."

"Wh-what do you want me to tell her?" Thomas only had time enough to realize that he was no longer in Freddy's private room.

"Oh, you aren't going be SAYING anything. Did you know that actions speak louder than words?" Freddy raised his clawed hand. "The foolish girl keeps trying to make me believe that she does love me. But she is just like you and the others—so scared of dying. I do admire her though for such a unique tactic to try and distract me from killing her." And with that said, Freddy lowered his hand repeatedly as he gutted the young boy even after the figure in the chair slumped over. Finally, Freddy stopped his assault. "Well, now THAT felt good."

The Dream Demons appeared. "As we have told you it would."

"It appears that you are right, Luthios." Freddy turned to the small one. "You said you'd find me an equal who would aid in my sociopathic nature."

"We have never steered you wrong, Freddy." Luthios turned away and the other two apparitions followed him until all three faded again.

* * *

_A/N: Those blasted Dream Demons! hehehe And what's with Freddy sending her death messages. sheesh. What's a gal to do? Find out soon!_


	8. Message Recieved, Action Decided

_Disclaimer: see the intro_**

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**Chapter 7**

When Jordyn awoke the next morning, she was quickly reminded of last night's events as she realized she spent the night on the couch. As she stumbled toward the kitchen to stifle her protesting stomach, a voice from the other side of the front door demanded her attention more, "Jo?! Open up!"

She groaned and backtracked to the door. Jordyn undid the lock and proceeded to walk back to her destination, "It's open." She called out.

Carl appeared in the doorway and trailed after her figure. "Thomas is dead."

Jordyn had turned the corner and when Carl caught up to her, he noticed that she had halted in her tracks. When she finally spun to face him, her face was tear-stained. "What? How?"

"I'm sure you know how, Jordyn." Carl spoke in a matter-of-fact tone.

"But, why?"

"I honestly don't know, Jo." Carl escorted her to a chair so she could sit down.

She was silent as she recalled the disturbing conversation with the entities responsible for nearly everything. "I had visitors last night."

"What?" The revelation surprised Carl.

"They explained my mysterious illness."

"They? There was more than one?" She nodded to Carl's questions.

"Three, actually." Jordyn looked up at Carl.

"What did they say?"

Jordyn shook her head against answering him then. Thoughts of Thomas crept into her mind and she started crying again. Carl attempted to pull her into a comforting embrace, but she only pushed him away. "I don't understand why he would kill Thomas!"

"It was to get a message to you obviously." Both Carl and Jordyn glanced up and noticed Claire in the kitchen entryway. He was immediately on his feet to urge Claire to sit down. Jordyn noted that Claire probably hadn't enough energy yet after only waking up from the coma recently.

"What point did he want me to get by killing Thomas?" Jordyn began wringing her fingers nervously together. Claire just shrugged.

"Hey, how bout you join us for breakfast?" Carl nudged Jordyn's chin with his finger. Jordyn shook her head.

"I just want to be alone." She got up and went to the fridge. Carl and Claire took that as a sign she wanted them to leave. A few moments later, Jordyn heard the sound of the front door closing. She placed her palms flat on the counter and heaved a huge sigh.

Jordyn made something quick and easy for breakfast. As she sat down to it at the table, she let her mind wonder about the message Freddy gave her in the form of Thomas's death.

_Didn't he let Freddy know who he was? Maybe he never had the chance to. Is Freddy that upset with my departure?_ Her eyes went wide after the last thought. _The Dream Demons insisted that I was to be by his side. I have a feeling they meant that I'm to help Freddy with his lust for dream killing._ She furiously shook her head at the idea. _Ok, let's say that it's true. How am I supposed to be by his side to help him if I can't even get to his world?_

She slammed her hand on the table, "This is making my head hurt trying to understand all of this."

Jordyn closed her eyes and took a deep breath before opening them again. _Start from one bit of information, Jordyn. Fact, I was chosen as Dream Mistress. It was the Dream Demons that made me sick to ease me into traveling to Freddy's world. Now, according to them, I'm just supposed to know how to travel between worlds. _

Jordyn realized that she was done eating and got up to dump her plate into the sink. "Freddy, you're upset for me leaving. But you didn't have to kill Thomas to prove your point. He was innocent, Freddy. I'm innocent. We all are. You keep killing us just because it excites you."

She hadn't realized that she had come to a decision. She had decided to help the defenseless kids and not Freddy. "Sorry, Freddy. But I can't let any more die. Not while I can stop it."

In mere moments, she had her jacket on and she was out the door. She reached the end of her driveway and pulled out the cell phone from her coat pocket. Carl's number was punched on the keypad, knowing that he was on his way or already at the restaurant.

He answered on the third ring, "Detective Hagen, how may I help you?"

"Detective!"

She could hear the surprise in his voice, "Jordyn?"

"Are you already at the restaurant?"

"Yeah, we just placed our order. If you've changed your mind, I could send one of my buddies to pick you up."

"No…no." She huffed. "Just come back here—to my place—when you're done and I'll explain then.

"Alright." He agreed.

"Oh and Detective?"

"Yes, Jordyn?"

"Make sure you come alone." She then hung up and turned to lean against a fence post. After a minute she turned and headed back inside.

* * *

Almost two hours later, Jordyn eagerly opened the door for Carl. "Can I get you anything to drink or something?" 

He shook his head no. "Still full from breakfast." Carl moved to sit at the couch. "So what is this about?"

"I had a nice long chat with my thoughts over breakfast." She began. Carl raised his eyebrows at her, but said nothing. "I can't stand by and let him kill innocent kids. Now, I haven't worked out how exactly I can save them while I'm stuck here when they get sucked into Dream world…"

"We'll figure something out." Carl felt hope surge through him.

"I think for starters…I could meet with those that have already had troubles with Freddy." She moved to stand in front of Carl.

"And what are you planning to say to them?" Carl wondered.

Jordyn shrugged. "Well, telling Thomas to mention me didn't work. He still got killed."

"Maybe it did work, but like my daughter said, he killed him anyways to get a message to you."

Jordyn sighed, "So what…do I arm a bunch of teens with the courage to say my name to Freddy?"

"That would probably give them leverage. Reciting your name would be their best weapon against him. I'm sure Freddy still loves you deeply." Carl then pulled out his cell phone.

"What are you doing?"

He motioned for her to get her jacket on and follow him. "I'm calling my daughter. She is supposed to be at one of those sessions. I was going to quickly inform her to let Elaine know that you're coming."

"Wait…what makes you think I would've willingly gone with you?" She stopped in her tracks with her coat half on.

"I thought you wanted to help them."

"Yes, I do. But I don't want you to just assume what I would and wouldn't do."

"Sorry." Jordyn finished getting her jacket on and followed Carl out to his car. As he climbed behind the wheel he was in conversation with Claire. Jordyn could only hear his side of the conversation, but it sounded as if her presence was eagerly welcomed. Carl ended the call and turned to her, "Ok, they're gonna wait till we arrive."

"Wonderful." Jordyn sarcastically spat.

"C'mon, it will be just fine." Carl replied. Jordyn sighed as his car sped off down the country road.

* * *

The group of teens quieted down when Elaine stood up and raised her hands, "I have been informed by Claire that her father is bringing a special guest to today's Session." 

Andy spoke up, "Jordyn is coming?"

Elaine shot him a look. "Yes." Chatter rose up among the others, but she hushed them again. "Contrary to what some of you might think, Ms. Poletti is not to be blamed for Thomas's death. She only meant to help him…as she wishes to help us."

"Is she gonna kill us too?" A teen piped in.

"No. Jordyn is going to help us!" Claire raised her voice in defense of Jordyn.

Everyone was quieted as Carl entered with Jordyn right behind him. "Ah, welcome Detective Hagen and Ms. Poletti!" Elaine motioned to the two empty chairs, "We apparently have two extra openings for the both of you."

Jordyn was unnerved by Elaine's subtle reference to the recent death, yet Carl didn't seem phased. "No thanks, Elaine. I'll just stand here." He motioned to a spot off to the side and walked over to it.

"Very well then." Elaine nodded as Jordyn sunk into a chair next to Andy. He gave her a sheepish grin, which Jordyn didn't return. "Ok. Ms. Poletti, the Session is yours today." Elaine sat down.

Before Jordyn stood up, she apprehensively glanced around to the faces in the circle. Finally, she got the courage to go through with this. "We all know that Freddy became what he is now with the help of Dream Demons. I'm going to be honest with you all. Last night they approached me and revealed to me that I am the chosen Dream Mistress—the only equal in existence to rightfully stand by and aid the Dream Master." A few gasps made her only slightly hesitant to go on. Elaine motioned for her to continue. "But I realized that I can't help in killing those like you—even if I knew how to easily travel between his world and ours."

"Well, between me and Claire…we're glad to have you on our side."

"Thanks, Andy…but let me finish before saying anything of that nature." Jordyn moved to the center of the circle. "Detective Hagen had already informed me that some of you are suspicious of my actual relationship with Freddy Krueger. Yes, I'll admit…I spent three years of my life as his lover." There were more gasps, but they didn't cause her to falter this time, "And yes, I still do love him. But what he did to Thomas was completely uncalled for."

A boy piped up, "How are you going to help us?"

Jordyn was silent while Elaine scolded the boy. Then Jordyn finally spoke, "I had thought that being armed with my name would be enough. But if it didn't work for Thomas, then I don't think it will work for anyone else." She paced and then an idea hit her, "There IS one thing that might be in our favor. Now, I'm just going on a hunch on this…but…" She drifted off, unsure of herself.

"But what, Jordyn?" Claire sat up.

"Freddy's private room. I think if anyone makes it there, they should be safe. I think I know him well enough that he wouldn't dare to shed any blood in such an intimate memory."

"Are you sure? Wouldn't wandering into his private room give him more cause to kill us?" Andy spoke.

Jordyn shook her head, "It's my private room too. That's the room we shared during those three years. Maybe luring him there and force him to think about me would benefit you." Jordyn looked at all the faces, "This may seem lame, but it's all I've got."

"I say we try it anyways." Andy spoke up and everyone wound up agreeing with him.

"What makes you so sure about her plan, Andy?" Elaine questioned.

"Freddy and his two goons were chasing me down, but when they caught up to me, she was there." Andy stood up and walked to Jordyn, "Anyways, when the goons saw her, they suddenly weren't so interested in killing me—not when it would displease her."

"You give me too much credit, Andy."

"No, it's true!" Andy patted her arm. "You should've seen the way she addressed the goons. It was awesome!"

"Well, let's give it a shot." Elaine took control of the Session again. "And let's hope no one dies." After a few moments the group broke up—with some leaving for home or other places and some lingered behind.

Carl finally approached Jordyn, "You want me to take you home now?"

Jordyn turned to face him, "I was hoping to talk to Elaine in a private session. And then maybe after you could take me to lunch?"

Carl smiled, "Of course. Well, I'll be back to pick you up then. I should get Claire home—doctors don't want her to exhaust herself."

Jordyn nodded and they parted ways. She walked up to Elaine, "I was hoping we could talk privately."

"Certainly!" Elaine appeared too eager for this opportunity.

* * *

_A/N: Well now...Jordyn got Freddy's message and has decided to go against him. But what makes her think she will be successful? And how long will her opposition last? So much drama, eh? Don't go puttin down your popcorn yet...cuz this is gettin tasty!_


	9. the rise and fall of the Mistress

_Disclaimer: see the intro_**

* * *

**

**Chapter 8**

"So what did you want to privately talk about, Ms. Poletti?" Elaine began after both girls entered her office.

"Please…call me Jordyn."

"Sorry."

Jordyn waved off the apology. "I wanted to talk about…actually, I was hoping you could give some insight on how I could travel between worlds—like the Dream Demons hinted."

"How do you know they weren't just lying to you?"

Jordyn shook her head, "They seemed adamant about it. They had said that my coma was just a way to get me used to it without shocking my system."

"Why exactly would you want to travel between worlds?"

Jordyn couldn't believe she heard that question. _Isn't it obvious?_ "At first, I just wanted to get back to him. But now, after what he did…if I could easily travel between worlds, just think of all the kids that I'd be able to safely return back here."

"So how do you expect me to help you?"

"It was hinted that I've known how…but never tapped into it. I was hoping for maybe some insight." Jordyn stood up, "It was stupid for me to come here."

Elaine dashed after Jordyn, "Jordyn, wait!" Jordyn stopped, but didn't turn around. "I'll help you since I want to help these kids too."

Just then, Carl appeared, "Ready yet, Jo?"

"Oh, lunch." Jordyn quickly turned to Elaine, "Thanks for offering to help. I really appreciate it."

"If I come up with something, I'll stop by later."

Twenty minutes later, Jordyn and Carl were seated at a restaurant. "So, what did you and Elaine talk about?" Carl began.

"I just asked for ideas about what the Dream Demons said to me last night." Carl nodded. "If I let them train me, then they'll be able to better influence me. NO, I'd rather do it myself."

"That makes sense." Carl agreed. "Ya know, I was thinking…maybe you and Claire could reunite your friendship."

Jordyn sat in thought before answering, "I think I might like that. When I couldn't read her letter, I had gotten real upset. I think it was partly responsible for my downslide much faster than the doctors predicted." Their lunch was finally served and the rest of the conversation was casual.

* * *

Jordyn had spent the rest of the day trying various tactics of reaching her ability to travel between worlds, but each attempt bombed. _I refuse, though, to give in._ By the time evening rolled around, Jordyn was ready for a break. After a delicious dinner, she sat down to an evening movie. Soon she found herself enjoying the Jackie Chan flick. However, just barely halfway into it, her phone rang. "Elaine?" 

A male voice replied instead, "Jo! Oh gees, it's Claire! She won't wake up!" Carl's voice was rushed and panicked, but she was able to understand what he said.

"Whoa, Detective, calm down and tell me what happened." She was up and alert now.

"She was feeling tired and went to her room for a nap. That was four hours ago. I went in there to wake her and…" She heard rustling and pictured him pacing erratically. "He's got her again, I'm sure of it!"

"Detective, I don't know what help I can be." She sighed. "Look, just sit tight ok? I'm going to hang up now and I'll get to the bottom of this. I'll call back." She heard his mumbled agreement and set to work. Jordyn stood, stretched and looked around. "Dream Demons!" She called out.

She didn't have to wait long. "Have you changed your mind?" The small one was talking as the three of them appeared before her.

Jordyn glared, "What is he up to?! Tell me! Why is Freddy doing this?!"

The Demons smiled. The medium one stepped forward, "He is just a man with a broken heart."

"A broken heart?" She shook her head, "What had caused him to believe his heart is broken?"

"You left him." The tall one replied.

"Three times now!" The medium one added.

Jordyn paled, "He thinks I don't love him?" The small one nodded.

"We know you're plotting against ALL of us now." The tall one spat at her.

"YOU are supposed to be the Dream Mistress, but refuse to embrace it."

"That doesn't mean I don't love him!" She defended against the small ones' words. She was pacing, but quickly stopped. "Take me to him. NOW!"

"We can't." The medium one replied.

"Why not?"

"You must accept your fate, first." The small one revealed confidently.

"And if I don't?"

"Then I hope you're prepared to never be with him again."

Those words from the small one struck her to the core. Jordyn felt nausea and emptiness at the thought of a future without Freddy. She needed him—and it suddenly didn't bother her to be the Dream Mistress. "I accept." She mumbled and bowed her head.

"Close your eyes and hold out your right hand." She did as the medium one commanded. She felt all three of them roughly latch onto her hand with their sharp fingers. "Now, repeat after me." She nodded that she was ready. "For those that dare to dream, and those that refuse to sleep…for what I once was, I shall never be again—for now and forever, I am the mistress of dreams!" Jordyn repeated it and literally felt deep within her a power shift. What once had lain dormant had now been awakened. When Jordyn opened her eyes, she felt a sense of freedom.

At once, the Dream Demons knelt before her. "We are at your command, Mistress." Jordyn smiled wickedly and had no interest in helping the distraught Detective.

"It still is a bit early for anyone to attempt to go to bed for the night…so aside from little Claire Hagen, there is no one to deal with at the moment." Jordyn watched as the Dream Demons stood back up. "I shall now take the opportunity to return to my lover." Jordyn watched as the Demons nodded and then faded away. She concentrated on the thought of seeing Freddy and soon felt a shift from leaving one world and appearing in the other.

She appeared in their private room. She turned her head to the left and noticed Freddy arranging something on a desk, so his backside was facing her. "Preparing for tonight, love?"

He stopped abruptly and faced her. His eyes narrowed, "You've…"

Jordyn nodded and approached him, "I have." When she was close enough, she wrapped her arms around him, "How could you have ever doubted my love for you Freddy?" He fidgeted and mumbled his apologies. Jordyn leaned into kiss him. "We have a few moments to ourselves." His eyes lit up and she knew he was thinking the same thing.

* * *

When Carl heard the phone ring an hour later, he assumed it was Jordyn. But the caller corrected him, "No, this is Elaine. I tried calling her, but no answer." 

"She was supposed to call me back. Freddy kidnapped Claire again." Carl informed her. "What if something's happened to Jordyn?"

"Maybe she's at Andy's. Those two have gotten friendly recently." Elaine offered. "I'll head over there now and find what's up." The trip to Andy's had taken Elaine almost twenty minutes. She knocked on the door a few times before he answered, "Hey Andy!"

"Elaine?" He appeared surprised. "What's wrong?"

"Is Jordyn with you? Detective Hagen has been looking for her." Just as Elaine finished talking, Jordyn appeared on the stairs to the second floor.

"Good evening, Elaine." Jordyn cooed.

"Did you come here to get Andy's help to save Claire again?" Elaine questioned.

Andy blinked, "What are you talking about, Elaine?"

Jordyn chuckled, "You and the Detective worry too much." Elaine suddenly didn't like Jordyn's demeanor. Andy glanced between the two women.

"What's going on here?"

"Business as usual, Andy." He was even more confused by Jordyn's reply. As she moved to latch on this hand and drag him back upstairs, Elaine stopped her.

"What's gotten into you, Jordyn? Don't you care about Claire?"

"Claire is fine, so stop worrying." Jordyn was growing annoyed.

"What's wrong with Claire?" Andy asked.

"Nothing!" Jordyn wailed in frustration. "C'mon, Andy, we have work to do."

"Detective Hagen thinks that Freddy has Claire again."

"Jordyn…is this true?" Andy pulled away from her after hearing what Elaine said.

She grunted and directly faced Andy, "How should I know! It's not like I can just visit him and ask!"

Elaine frowned, "But you could." Jordyn shook her head. "Jordyn, I had an idea. I tried calling you about it, but you weren't home obviously."

"What's your idea about?" Andy asked.

"How to get to Freddy's world."

"Enlighten me, Elaine!" Jordyn snapped.

"A coma shifts your mind to a certain level. If we could figure out…"

Jordyn snapped again, "Useless."

"Pardon me?" Elaine was flustered at being interrupted.

Jordyn sighed and turned away, "I have to go." As she began walking away, Andy latched onto her arm. She paused and turned to him. "Andy…I'm sorry…you've been nothing but nice to me, but I can't ever repay you or use it in consideration."

"Consideration for what, Jordyn?" Andy still hadn't a clue as to what was going on. He only knew something wasn't right. He knew that he didn't like the way she was acting.

"For when you face him." Jordyn broke free from him and fled the room. The moment she was out of their sight, she had disappeared.

Andy was about to run after Jordyn, Elaine stopped him. "Why did it sound like she wasn't going to help us?" He asked.

Elaine shook her head, "Remember what she said in the Session earlier…about the Dream Demons?"

"Those things that gave Freddy his dream powers? What does…?" His eyes then went wide, "She gave in to them!"

Elaine nodded, "C'mon, we gotta get to Detective Hagen's."

* * *

Jordyn moved straight into Freddy's open arms and he twirled her around twice before setting her down. "Did you settle whatever it was you needed to?" She nodded—a satisfiable reply to his question. Freddy loomed over her and captured her lips with his. "Tonight, the fun shall begin!" He purposely trailed a claw down her front side and grinned victoriously as she trembled in familiar fashion from his touch. "Go now and great our visitors." 

Reluctantly, they parted ways. They both knew that later they would get together as one again, yet the time apart still caused them pain. Freddy watched her walk out of the room. After a few moments of walking, Jordyn settled against a post and waited. She didn't have to wait long, for soon a figure stopped near her—a figure she recognized. "Alex?"

He spun on his heel and faced her, "Jordyn?" She smiled to ease his frantic expression.

"At your service." She mock bowed. "You appear lost."

Alex shook his head, "I fell asleep. I just wanna get outta here."

"Don't you like my company?" She mock frowned.

He stepped closer to her, "I do—just would rather have it in my bed and not here."

Coyly she trailed her finger on his jaw line, "Don't let my Freddy hear you say that."

"Huh?" He blinked and darted his eyes about. "Is he here?"

"Let him go, Jo."

Jordyn whipped around. She had been touched by Alex's honest fear and it stirred regret within her. She also remembered she vowed to help them not kill them. But the moment Andy had heroically appeared, her reverie was negated. "Stay out of this, Andrew."

The way she spoke his full first name unnerved him, but he quickly shoved it aside. "I can't. Alex is a friend of mine. So was Thomas."

The mention of Thomas made her turn and face Andy. But then a voice from the side interrupted them, "Well, you're first night as Dream Mistress and you bring me two goodies." Freddy came into view and Andy noticed how Jordyn semi-willingly joined him at his side. Andy then watched Freddy as he disgustingly tongued Jordyn and was surprised to find how turned on she became.

"That's disgusting." Alex commented. Freddy turned away from Jordyn and as he faced Alex, he extended his claws to the side. Jordyn stepped back to give her lover some room.

"You're just gonna let this happen?" She turned her head to find Andy beside her. "I thought you were gonna help us."

Jordyn gazed downward as regret once again stirred within her, "This is how it is now." However, she didn't sound confident in her reply to Andy. When she glanced over at Freddy and Alex's direction, that's when she noticed Claire charging toward Freddy. "NO!" Instinctively, Jordyn launched herself toward Freddy and pushed him aside.

Freddy turned in time to see Claire's sharp weapon pierce fatally into Jordyn's side. "Jo!" Instantly, he was at her side, failing to stop the blood flow from her wound. She winced as he moved her into his hold. Andy and Alex were frozen in surprise. Finally, Freddy sprang to his feet and impaled his deadly claws into Claire. Andy was startled into action and fell to his knees at Jordyn's crumbled figure.

"Jo, c'mon…warp us out of here. We gotta get you to a hospital!" She opened her eyes and started to protest, but instead did as Andy commanded. Freddy finished his business with Claire and turned his attention back to Jordyn—only to find her gone.

* * *

_A/N: Well looky that... Jordyn turned to Elaine for help and doesn't get it in time. And with the added bonus of finding out Freddy kidnapped Claire again, it sends Jordyn right where the Dream Demons want her. So now you have Jordyn on Freddy's side. It looks like this time... it might be a permanent decision, especially after the wound she got from Claire (even if it was unintentional)._


	10. Down, but not Out

_Disclaimer: see the intro_**

* * *

**

**Chapter 9**

The next morning, Andy jerked awake, "AH!" He then recognized his room and settled down. But then he felt a hardened cool substance where his left hand rested. When he looked, he saw a pool of semi-dried blood surrounding Jordyn's sleeping figure. "Shit!" He moved quickly to wake her up. "Jo, c'mon, wake up!"

She stirred after a few shakes and winced again when she tried to sit up. The memory of the previous night rushed back to her. Jordyn began crying while Andy dialed 911.

The ambulance arrived in less than ten minutes. And in another seventeen minutes, she was wheeled through the hospital hallway en route to the emergency room. Andy dialed Detective Hagen's number and informed him of the situation. Andy only had to wait a mere few minutes before Carl showed up. "Andy?"

"Detective Hagen!" He greeted the man.

"What the hell happened?" Carl huffed. Andy waited until they were both seated before he recapped the whole ordeal.

"…and that's when Jordyn was stabbed." Andy finished the explanation.

"What happened to Claire?" The only response Carl got from Andy was silence. "ANDY!! What happened to Claire?!"

Finally, Andy replied, "I'm sorry, Detective…but she was killed in a fit of rage." Carl was about to scream out in pained protest, but a nurse approached them.

"Detective Hagen?" Carl looked up. "Ms. Poletti is asking for you." Carl followed the nurse. As he entered the room, he noticed how the nurse paused at the doorway. "Could you give me a moment?" The nurse nodded and walked away. Carl took one look at Jordyn and saw just how awful she appeared. She had yet to turn her eyes toward him, but he slightly understood. "Jo?"

"Sorry." She purposely refused to turn and look at him. In fact, she hardly moved at all, unless it was absolutely necessary. Carl figured that the stab wound must still be bothersome to her.

"You tried." He replied back to her.

She sighed, "No."

"What do you mean?" He was generally confused.

"My intent wasn't to save her." Jordyn curtly replied.

"WHAT?" Hastily, Carl moved to the other side of the hospital bed, forcing Jordyn to focus on him.

"Honestly…you should have never had tried to find me." Jordyn blinked at him. "But then again, I'm glad you did."

"I don't understand." He shook his head at her, "You rescued my daughter from the coma—that was my intent for finding you."

"But she died anyway. I could have done something, Detective, but I only stood off to the side."

"Because you love Freddy?" Elaine's voice cut into the conversation. Jordyn glared at the woman. "You gave in to them, didn't you? And now…you're the Dream Mistress. You live to serve him—as the only one with the ability to easily travel between his world and ours."

"Dream Mistress?" Apparently, Carl hadn't caught on yet.

"Correct, Detective." Jordyn spat. "I am the one to lure and misguide the youths to their inevitable death at his hand."

"You don't have to." Elaine softly implied. "You can use your ability to save them instead."

"Impossible!" Jordyn harshly whispered. "You don't get it, Elaine. Whether I'm the Dream Mistress or not, my heart belongs to him. I could never do anything to destroy a life with him. I love him! But now, it seems that it's over for good."

"How come?" Carl asked.

Jordyn didn't answer. Instead she turned away from both of them, "Please leave me be!"

"Jo?" Elaine began, when suddenly Jordyn jerked her gaze to them again.

"This was a fatal wound. Sure they were able to patch me up, but I've grown too weak. Oh sure, they'll be removing the stitches in two or three months…but Claire might as well have stabbed me in the brain."

"What do you mean?" Elaine shook her head while trying to understand Jordyn's explanation.

"Dr. Starwick's machine…" Jordyn eerily mumbled. "Forcing myself into Freddy's world manually instead of naturally…basically it aided to weakening me." Jordyn sighed and shook her head, "What I mean is…after fully embracing being the Dream Mistress, I was the only one ever to be able to physically travel between both worlds. Aside from my first major coma, I was never meant to just send my mentality back and forth."

Elaine seemed to have caught on, "I get it! You mean to say that all the times you've spiritually crossed between worlds deteriorated your energy and stamina needed to bring your physical body across." Jordyn nodded.

"I know that if I attempt one more trip, I could get stuck."

"Stuck, how?" Carl finally piped in.

"As in being in neither realm—a ghost, if you will." Jordyn paused and winced as another pain shot through her from her wound.

"Are you ok? Should I call the doc?" Carl blurted. She just motioned him quiet.

"I'm fine…just feeling a little tired."

"We should let you rest." Elaine spoke up. A tear rolled down Jordyn's cheek as she tried to find a comfortable spot to rest. Elaine pulled Carl outside in the hall with her, "Detective, did you get any of that? It looked like most of the conversation confused you."

"No, I got it…eventually. Her supernatural energy had been unintentionally abused and now it's practically gone."

"By the way, what is she going to do once she is released from the hospital? She'll still need another couple of months of care and watching over, so moving back into her home by herself… I don't think it's a good idea to leave her alone, she'll be mentally unstable from such a loss."

"I've been thinking about that long before this tragic event. We had been spending quite a lot of time together…and I've…developed feelings for her." Carl sheepishly replied.

"Are you serious? You're almost twenty years older than her." Elaine exasperated in disbelief.

"Yeah, I know…but, I really do like her."

"Well even so, how do you know the feeling is mutual?" Elaine questioned.

"I don't really know…I have a feeling that she'll never get over her feelings for Freddy, but I'd be fine if she stays with me only out of necessity of having someone in her life."

"Even if she never really ever has an inkling of love for you?"

Carl nodded. "Once she gets out of the hospital, I'll have a long talk with her." They had reached the main floor lobby by the end of the conversation and parted ways for the time being.

* * *

Two nights passed and Jordyn finally emerged from her silent stupor. She decided to walk to the end of the hallway and back to her room, giving her legs some exercise. As she passed by an open door, some arguing caught her attention. 

"No! I don't wanna go to sleep. He'll kill me!" She heard the male voice protest.

"Melvin, there is nothing to worry about. Now, you need to get some rest before you get sicker than you already are." Jordyn assumed that it was the doctor now speaking. The arguing continued for another moment until the doctor became fed up and left the room. Jordyn ducked into a convenient hiding spot as the doctor obliviously passed her. She paused a second longer, but eventually entered the room.

"What do you want?" Melvin snapped at her.

"I heard you arguing." Jordyn meekly explained.

"Are you a spy for the doctor?"

Jordyn didn't flinch at his accusations, "No." She stepped closer to his bed. "You don't know who I am?"

"Am I supposed to?" He shot back.

"I guess not." She sighed in relief, "Well, this is a first."

"What are you talking about?"

"This is the first time since I was ten that someone didn't recognize me." She looked down at herself, "Must be because I look like shit." Quickly she cleared her throat, "Anyway, I'm sure you'd like to know why I approached you."

"Yeah, I would." Melvin seemed a bit nicer now.

"You're scared to fall asleep, right?"

"I heard he's already killed two people. And I knew them, too." Jordyn blinked, her only reaction to the mention of Claire and Thomas. "I don't wanna be his next victim."

"Relax, Melvin."

"NO! I can't relax!" He cut in. "I wish he was dead so we could all get some sleep!" Jordyn flinched that time and a tear slide down her cheek. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."

She shook her head, "Take it back. Please take it back." Melvin was confused. Jordyn sharply turned away, "This was a mistake."

"Wait! I said I was sorry!" He caught her arm and when she winced, he immediately let go. "Did he do that?" Melvin pointed to the bandages sticking out from her robe.

"No. Freddy would never hurt me. It was Claire that did it, though not intentionally." There was a slight pause and Melvin didn't know what to say exactly. "It was my fault that they died. But I want to make it right! I promised someone that I'd help you and others like you." She finally looked him in the eye, "Go to sleep, Melvin. And if you wind up facing him…" She paused, trying so hard to hold back the tears. "Tell him that Jordyn misses him so much, and let him know that I am ok." She takes Melvin's hand, "Melvin, have everyone you know to tell him that."

"What makes you think that will work?"

"Just trust me." She let go of his hand, signaling that she was going to leave. "He's not stupid enough to kill the only way of communicating with me." By now, she felt that she couldn't hold the tears back any longer. But Melvin called out to her when she reached the door way.

"Just why exactly am I to give him this message…other than to keep him from killing me?"

Silently she cursed, wanting so bad to get back to her room. She kept her backside to him, but answered him. "Because I can't tell him myself." Melvin seemed satisfied with her answer and she finally made it back to her room.

* * *

The next morning, Jordyn awoke and found Carl sitting at her bedside. "Staff must be slacking on the job. I thought I made it clear I wanted no visitors." 

"We need to talk." Carl replied, ignoring her angry expression.

"We have nothing to talk about."

"Yes, we do." Carl sighed. "You're being released today. We need to talk about where you'll be staying. I am hoping you decide to stay at my place until you get back on your feet."

Jordyn was silent. She didn't have the heart to return to her own home. The loneliness would force her to think of Freddy. She couldn't move in temporarily with Carl—it was too awkward for her now after Claire's death. "I'm moving in with Andy."

Carl blinked, "And it's ok with him?"

"Well he doesn't exactly know yet. But I'm sure he wouldn't object."

"You're not just trying to avoid me because of Claire, right?" Again she was quiet. "Look, Jo, I'm not blaming you."

"No, you blame him—and that hurts me even worse." Jordyn looked him in the eye and was about to speak, but started crying again. She didn't resist when Carl pulled her into his arms. Suddenly, she was aware that he was kissing her. Jordyn jerked away and appeared mortified.

"Sorry." He sheepishly tried to apologize.

"Get out." Her tone was low and flat. When he failed to move, she repeated it a bit more forcefully. Reluctantly, he finally left. Jordyn took a moment to compose herself. Just as she was about to reach for the phone to call Andy, Melvin walked in.

"Good, you're still here!" He sat in the chair that Carl was previously sitting in.

She blinked at him, but then remembered last night. "Melvin, right?" He nodded. "Did it work?"

"Yes, surprisingly." His grin faded slightly, "But it was weird."

"What happened?"

"Well…" Melvin ran a hand through his hair. "…he led me into a room I've never seen before—it had pictures of you and him on the walls."

Jordyn was shocked, "He took you to our room?"

Melvin nodded, "I couldn't believe it when he briefly mentioned that you were his. He was so defensive about you." Jordyn couldn't help but to smile. "He gave me some instructions to pass on to you."

She sat up, completely alert, "Instructions for what?"

Melvin shrugged, "He wouldn't say. He just said that tonight you would feel compelled to visit someone that you've met before. He then told me to tell you that he said he would see you soon. And that was it." He then excused himself as he had a few lab tests scheduled for him today.

Jordyn was left sitting there, as she tried to figure out Freddy's ominous message. _What on Earth could he mean? And the "I'll see you soon"? _She shook her head after coming up with no reasonable explanation. "I guess I'll find out tonight." Jordyn laid back down and closed her eyes.

* * *

Andy bustled about his room. Since awaking earlier that morning, he had this insane notion to prepare his room to accommodate Jordyn. He realized that it was nearing lunchtime and still had yet to call Elaine to arrange for Jordyn to get picked up from the hospital. 

Elaine answered on the third ring, "Hello?"

"Elaine, it's Andy."

She brightened up, "Andy? Is something wrong?"

"No, not really." He shifted the phone to the other ear. "I just called to see if you could pick Jordyn up from the hospital."

"And bring her to your place?" She wondered what happened the arrangement Carl was making.

"Yeah."

"Sure thing, Andy. I'm at the hospital now anyway. She gets out after lunch, so I'll just stick around."

"Thanks, Elaine." He made a sound as if he wanted to say something else, but was afraid to.

"What is it, Andy?" Elaine encouraged him to say it.

"I hope Jordyn doesn't get upset with me for just presuming that she's staying with me for a bit. I mean, I know her and Detective Hagen have been hanging out quite a bit…and they see to be getting really chummy…"

Elaine cut him off, "Don't worry about it, Andy. I'm sure she'll be just fine staying with you."

"Ok, thanks, Elaine." He beamed into the phone before hanging up and getting back to work.

* * *

_A/N: Poor Jordyn. That girl oughta get in the Worlds Record book for the amount of times she's been in and out of the hospital. And Carl reveals feelings for her...but does he really or is it because he seeks something else? And we are introduced to Melvin, another one of Freddies victims that's at his wits end. His obliviousness to Jordyn's celebrity status may result in her actually helping him. And something big is happening to Andy that he doesn't quite understand--something that Jordyn already knows. But y'all will know more soon enough!_


	11. Temporary Residence

_Disclaimer: see the intro_**

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**Chapter 10**

Jordyn awoke from her mid-morning nap just in time for lunch. After hearing that she was free to leave after lunch, Jordyn requested to take it into the waiting room and have lunch with Melvin. Her request was approved.

"You sure got some pull around here." Melvin quipped as they settled down in the waiting room.

"Well, I became like a local celebrity when I was featured heavily on all the news channels. I lived in London at the time, but somehow got a fan base here in the States."

"Oh. Is that why you were surprised when I didn't recognize you?" Jordyn nodded. "So, how did you become a celebrity?"

"Because of Freddy—though at the time, I had no idea. So then, it was because I developed a rare illness."

"Oh wow. But now you look great!" His words made her blush.

She then frowned, "Unfortunately, I feel like shit." Jordyn turned her gaze to the window, and she stared down at the parking lot. "I've lost a whole lot of those that I care for because of this whole situation—but even so, I cannot deny my feelings. Nothing is going to change the way I feel about Freddy. He could go on a murdering spree and I'd still want to fuck him." She sighed and let her head fall into her hands.

Melvin just shook his head, "Still can't wrap my mind around that."

"Sometimes, I can't either." She teased a bit, but quickly grew serious again, "I'm leaving after this, but I'll still come up and see you."

"You don't have to do that."

"But I want to, Melvin. I really have been enjoying your company."

"I bet it's because you grew up isolated." Melvin commented.

Jordyn leaned back and sighed, "Yeah. Aside from doctors, I only had my father for actual daily company."

Elaine then entered, "Jordyn, they told me you were in here."

Jordyn glanced up, surprised to see Elaine standing in the entry way. "Elaine?"

The woman entered the room a bit, "I'm your ride to Andy's."

Jordyn blinked, "How did…?"

"He called me while he was cleaning the house. He was really worried that you'd be angry with his assumption."

"That's amusing." Jordyn began, "I had expressed similar concern to Detective Hagen."

"Can we get back to your room? I'd like to talk privately with you." Elaine approached Jordyn.

"I guess." Jordyn gave permission to be wheeled back to the room. Quickly she said goodbye to Melvin and left him with a promise to see him later.

Once in the room, Elaine got right into it. "So, apparently both you and Andy have assumed that you're staying at his place, yet no one has asked the other." Jordyn nodded. "What happened with Detective Hagen? He told me he'd ask you first…about your living arrangements."

"Oh, he did." Jordyn grew slightly angry. "But then he kissed me."

"He did what?" Elaine was surprised.

"I couldn't stay with him anyway."

"Because of Claire?"

"That's part of it." Jordyn solemnly replied. There was silence until she spoke again, "Elaine, is this ever going to get better? How long will this hurt?"

Elaine blinked, "I can't give you the answer you want, Jordyn. Everyone is different and deals with heartbreak differently." She nudged Jordyn's shoulder.

"At least that's an honest answer." It was soon time to leave and Jordyn remained quiet as Elaine wheeled her down the hallway to the elevator and then out of the elevator through the main floor lobby toward the exit.

Andy was pacing back and forth. Jordyn would arrive any moment and he was nervous. Finally, he heard a car pull up the driveway. Andy opened the front door, just as Jordyn and Elaine were walking up to it. "Hey, you're walking?" He was surprised to see Jordyn walking.

At the porch steps she stopped and finally answered him, "Yeah, well I'm tired of being weak. I think I'm going to move on to someone I can actually be with." And with that she held out her hand to Andy. He stared dumbly at it. "Andy? You wanna help me up the steps?"

"What?" He shook from his reverie and Elaine chuckled. "Sorry." Quickly he helped her, leaving Elaine to carry the bags in. "I'm really glad you want to stay with me."

"Don't flatter yourself, Andy. You were my only choice." Jordyn replied.

"Oh." Andy responded dejectedly.

"I'm kidding." Jordyn playfully nudged his hand before seriously sobering up, "I feel…safe with you, Andy."

"You do?"

Jordyn nodded. "I know you won't make any moves on me…not like Detective Hagen."

"He kissed her." Elaine clarified and Andy nodded.

"It's ok if you have feelings for me, Andy…just don't hastily act on them."

"I got ya. Don't worry, Jo, I'm not gonna force you. I like being your friend."

Before Elaine left, Jordyn called out to her, "I know Detective Hagen knows I'm here…just make sure he stays away." Elaine nodded and left.

Then Jordyn and Andy were alone—his parents were at work. "Since you've just had lunch, how bout we get you settled in?" Andy picked up her bag and headed to the stairs. On the first stair, he froze, "Oh wait, are you gonna be able to do stairs?"

"Shouldn't be a problem. My lower half is fine—just as long as I seriously limit the movement of my upper half."

"Oh." He continued upstairs.

As Jordyn made her way up, she had a flash of a memory of the last time she did stairs. It was the same difficulty then as it was now. "Except that this time I'll be getting better…not worse." Suddenly, Jordyn felt glad to have finally reached the very top step. She was still lost in the middle of some seriously troubling thoughts, when a voice broke her thoughts.

"Jo?"

"Andy, sorry!" She watched as he rushed to her her. "I kinda got lost in my thoughts for a moment there." She smirked at him and he returned it.

"I got you all set up in my room…to make it easier for when you'd need something." Andy chuckled briefly, but then sobered up with curiosity, "What were you thinking about?"

She frowned at looked down at her feet, "Do you even need to bother asking?"

"Maybe I should distract you with a serious round of gaming?" He raised an eyebrow at her.

"I don't know. I just feel that everything now is just going to remind of something in my past." Jordyn solemnly replied.

"Don't suppose it has something to do with you being weak." Andy spoke in concern now as he followed her into his room.

"Yes. It...I mean, I..." Jordyn stopped with a sigh and prepared to start again. "Lately I've been having these...feelings. And well, you're a part of it." Andy blinked in surprise at her. She continued, "What I mean is, there's certain qualities that I've noticed of you that got me wondering about things."

Andy nodded then. "What kind of things?"

Jordyn gasped in amazement—of how perceptive and interested in her he was. Hey Andy didn't have smarts for nothing. "It's ridiculous. I haven't a clue why, but the feeling is just so strong." She shifted in her chair and then gave him a direct answer, "Like things about you."

"Relax, Jo." Andy put up his hands in a motion for her to stop fidgeting in case she wound up tearing her stitches. He put a finger to his chin in thought, "How bout just don't worry about this for right now? I mean, we've got more important things to deal with. And I'll offer to help you deal with them."

Jordyn smiled and wrapped her arms around him, "Thanks so much Andy. This means a lot to me." But she knew exactly what Andy meant to her. She knew he was never to be a lover of any sort—Andy was just a friend. Yet, he was more than that to her. At that moment, she realized that Andy was her Spiritual Guide—the one that she could confide even the most intimate of details and get either sensible advice of why or how to proceed next for a situation. That also sealed his fate to be protected by her at all costs—even from Freddy himself. "Andy?" Jordyn released him from the hug.

"Yeah?" He replied.

"I kinda want to...get to know you better. I mean, if it's ok with you knowing what you know..." She knew she was mumbling again within embarrassment.

He smiled to show it was ok, "Sure." He was now starting to feel the connection that he derailed her from talking about. "I would like to get to personally know you as well." Andy was mentally cheering victory, "But what about Detective Hagen?"

Jordyn slumped back in her seat and turned away, "I don't think I want to see him...at all."

"Well, I'll help keep him away from you as well, Jo."

Jordyn smiled and quickly pecked him on the cheek, "Hope you don't mind, but I'm feeling tired and think I'll take a nap now." Andy nodded and helped her into the bed he arranged for her and then left the room.

* * *

_A/N: This chapter was kinda short and it only touches on the new friend she made (with another Freddy Victim), her doubts about her relationship with Freddy and and her current feelings about Carl. She's also out of the hospital and temporarily staying with Andy, who's revealed that he doesn't view her as a lover. Though, Andy wonders what he is to Jordyn. She starts to explain it to him...but quickly grows tired and the conversation gets dropped. Stay tuned, we'll check in with Freddy in the next chapter. (You seriously won't wanna miss it!)_

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	12. Welcome to Reality, Dream Master

_Disclaimer: see the intro_**

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**Chapter 11**

The morning light shown through the blinds over the window penetrating into the consciousness of Jordyn's sleeping figure. She refused to open her eyes since she was in the midst of remembering the previous night when she began a late night round of gaming with Andy on his PS2.

_"Well, you beat me again." She then recognized a sensation from deep within her. "I have to go."_

_"Go where?" She then recalled part of the conversation with Melvin, which took place only hours ago._

_Jordyn shook her head, "I'll explain later." She got up, refusing Andy's help and left. In moments she found herself at an unfamiliar front door. A figure opened the door—it was Alex, yet it wasn't. She rushed into his embrace, deciding that later on she could ask how this came to be._

_"I told you I'd see you soon." She didn't have long to dwell on that piece of conversation with Freddy, because soon they were reunited in Alex's bed. _

Her recollection of the previous night was broken now by a figure nuzzling her. "How about another round, Jo?" For a split second it didn't sound like Freddy. Suddenly, she was on her feet, backing away from him and just as quickly she turned away from him. "Jo?" She heard the concern in his tone.

Luckily, her stitches didn't tear, but that wasn't why she shed tears. "I can't do this. Not when I see Alex before my eyes. It feels like I'm having sex with him and not you, Freddy. It feels like I'm betraying you." She watched him rise from the bed and she darted her gaze away from his nude form.

"This can be fixed, Jo."

"How?" She stared into his eyes.

He leaned to whisper in her ear, "Transfer the remainder of your power to me so that I can form my own body here in your realm." She questioned him with her eyes. "Just trust me." Jordyn then allowed him to put her back in bed. She relaxed her body and in moments felt odd sensation inside of her, moving through her and into him. It was a slow process, but was completed in ten minutes.

Jordyn groaned during the process, for without the little power she had left, she now felt the full brunt of the pain from her wound. And when she tried to sit up, she found that she couldn't. Jordyn sighed, realizing that she had been completely drained of energy and stamina for the moment. Movement next to her caught her attention. She turned her head…and there sat Freddy—in his own body. Her eyes took in his stripped shirt, moving up across the burnt flesh of his face and stopping at the sight of his fedora before locking onto his eyes.

"Hey." He would have teased her with his claws, but he took note of her lethargic figure. He instead helped her to sit up.

"What happens now?"

He knew the answer she sought, "Whatever we want to happen, Jo." He leaned over and erotically tongued her—showing her that he had all of his dream powers here just as he had in his realm. She squirmed in pleasure as his tongue extended its length in order to slide down the front side of her figure under the sheets that separated her from him. Forgetting about her wound, she pulled him on top of her. She winced a bit but refused to stop. "Jordyn, you should rest." She grunted in protest as he pulled away from her. "As much as I'd like to screw you senseless right now, I think we should wait until you're fully healed."

He made a valid point and she had no choice but to comply. "Just lay with me then. I promise…no funny stuff." They settled next to each other. As he held her close, she had drifted back to sleep.

Last night with Jordyn had felt so right to Andy. He really thought that they were connecting until she got up and just left. He slowly rose to his feet and his eyes fell upon the fedora. _"Was someone else in trouble last night__?" _Andy frowned upon thinking how Freddy is now killing again. It was clear to him then Jordyn isn't convincing Freddy to stop. "Or are you with Detective Hagen now?" He thought she wanted nothing to do with that man, but maybe something changed her mind.

Andy ran his hand through his hair as he sighed upon understanding the situation she was in from both worlds. _Everyone is trying to become Jordyn's lover, yet she just wants Freddy._ He still couldn't fathom Freddy involved with a woman, but he was willing to accept Jordyn's decision. He meant what he said to her—that he wanted her as a friend, not a lover. But he had to find out where she disappeared to. She wasn't exactly in top shape.

Then a knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. Andy opened the door to reveal Detective Hagen. _Ok, that rules out her being with him._ "What are you doing here?"

"Where is she?" Carl attempted to enter the house.

"She's not here."

"Don't lie to me, kid. I know she's staying with you." Carl spat back.

"You're pissed that she shunned your advances, huh?" That received a glare from Carl, but Andy just ignored it. "But she's still not here."

"Let me see for myself."

Andy couldn't believe Carl. He had always thought Claire's father was cool, but he wasn't so sure now. "I'm telling the truth! Last night we were in the middle of playing video games on my PS2, when she just suddenly walked out."

"Then where is she?" Carl was getting concerned, but believed Andy now.

"I don't know." Andy paused. "Wait…take that back…I think she's with Freddy."

"Impossible."

Andy shrugged, "Got any better ideas?"

"I know she's not with him." Carl finally reveals his reason for being here. "Someone phoned in about a disturbance next door…at the Henderson place. If he's another Krueger victim, I thought Jordyn would want to join me to go there."

"I'm going with you." Andy replied sternly. "Maybe she's already there." Carl nodded and both men left.

Jordyn and Freddy awoke 45 minutes later to find a gun pointed at them. They both sat up to discover Alex holding the gun. Instinctively, she shielded Freddy with her body. When she felt Freddy's hands on her arms to move her aside, she sharply shook her head. "I called the police, they're on their way." Alex spoke with a mixture of fear and determination.

"Put the gun down, kid." Freddy replied. Alex shook his head in refusal.

"Please…don't shoot him." Jordyn breathlessly mumbled, apparently near the verge of tears.

Alex blinked and finally focused on Jordyn, as if just realizing it was her, "Jordyn?" She held out a hand to him, signaling for him to put the gun there. "Are you sleeping with him—in my bed?!" Jordyn dropped her hand and her gaze from Alex.

Nervously she fidgeted her hands together. "Isn't that what you do with someone you love?" Her reply was soft.

"You love him?" Alex seemed appalled. He then recalled that moment back in the Dreamworld, with her in Freddy's arms as he disgustingly tongued her. "I remember…you let him kiss you…like that." Jordyn also recalled the incident Alex referred to and her cheeks flushed at not only the memory but the leftover sensation she had felt then. "Are you insane?!" Alex waved the gun at her and Freddy again.

Softly, with confidence, she replied, "No. I'm just in love." She looked Alex directly in the eye, "Please don't take him away from me." She couldn't bear to be parted from Freddy again. A tear slid down her cheek and she latched onto Freddy's hand—pulling it tightly around the non-wounded side of her nude figure.

Alex finally lowered his gun and Jordyn stood up (while appropriately covering herself) to thank him with a gracious hug. Just as she was about to return to Freddy's awaiting arms, the three of them heard a ruckus burst into the house and into the room they were in. It was the cops that Alex had called.

The cops swarmed around Alex and Jordyn—cutting her off from Freddy. "Don't fire your weapons!" She recognized Detective Hagen's voice.

In moments, she was restrained when she tried to get to Freddy. "Let me go!" Jordyn managed to get a hand free and reached out towards his direction, "Freddy!" She cried and struggled harder against the officer—slightly tearing at some of her stitches in her madness. Carl appeared at her side and warned her to calm down. She refused. When two other officers started dragging a half-sedated Freddy from the room, Carl had no choice but to sedate Jordyn as well. Carl turned to Andy, who had just walked into the room, "Well, she's definitely gonna hate me once she wakes up."

"I saw them dragging Freddy into the armored car. How is he able to be here?" Andy motioned toward the door as he gazed over Jordyn's sedated figure.

Alex approached them, "He took my body to get here."

"But if you're here and he's there now…" Andy drifted off and Alex just shrugged.

"She knows." Alex then pointed to Jordyn.

Carl made sure the sheet covered her nicely before scooping her up. "But will she tell us?" He nodded quickly to Andy to get her clothes and follow him out to his car. "Andy, you sit in back with her." Then he turned to Alex, "Are you coming or staying?" Alex answered by getting into the passenger seat.

Freddy was placed in a heavily equipped security cell. Apparently the local authority wasn't taking any chances. They maintained his half-sedated level since they had no interest in questioning him. They had already decided to hang him two days from now.

That was the report Detective Hagen heard from his partner over the phone. He sat between Alex and Andy in the emergency waiting room for news of Jordyn's condition. Carl hung up and sat back.

"She'll be fine, Detective Hagen." Andy casually mumbled.

"What makes you so sure?" Carl asked.

Andy turned to Carl, "Well…before she took off last night, we both realized that my relationship with her is of the Spiritual Advisor kind."

"Say what?" Alex blinked dumbfounded.

Andy gave Alex a look before going on to explain it, "Basically I just give her advice on how to handle situations. And…I also pick up on a few things."

"Such as?" Carl asked again.

"That she'll be fine—as far as the situation with the stitches, that is. But the situation with Freddy—well, that's a whole nother problem." Andy shrugged.

"I just wanna know why the hell they were in my bed!" Alex spat.

Another ten minutes passed before Jordyn awoke once the sedation wore off. She slowly opened her eyes and tried to sit up, but found her movement hindered. Upon her assessment, she noticed her wrists and ankles were strapped down.

She lay still for a second, until her mind became a bit clearer and she remembered police swarming around her and Freddy. _"Freddy…oh god…where are you!?"_ A tear slid down her cheek and she then felt slight soreness where her wound was. Yet still, she was more concerned about Freddy. _"I gotta get outta here!"_ She struggled but found it useless—she hadn't enough strength to free herself.

Soon a nurse waked in. "Ah, good…you're awake!" The nurse's tone was much too cheery for Jordyn.

"Let me loose!" Jordyn turned her angry glare onto the nurse. The nurse only checked the monitor that was next to Jordyn before taking a few notes of it.

"One would think you were not fond of hospitals considering your history with them, but here you are again." Jordyn recognized Elaine's voice. The nurse then excused herself and left the room. Jordyn kept quiet. Elaine approached the bed, "Well, I see they've done a great job patching you up again. From the looks of it, you'll be healed by the time they release you in a few days." Still Jordyn said nothing.

A brief knock followed by a male voice interrupted them. "Jo…they told us you were awake." It was Andy. "Don't worry, it's just me. I convinced Alex and Detective Hagen to stay behind." Jordyn seemed to relax and she waved him over.

"Where'd they take him?" She finally spoke. It was clear who she meant.

Andy shrugged, "Detective Hagen got a call from his partner, but he didn't give a location." He sat down and lowered his voice, "Jo…I'm sorry…they've planned to hang him in two days." Jordyn choked out a cry. She was going to be stuck here while the love of her life and dreams was killed.

"Please leave." She turned away after giving a flat yet forceful command, unable to look at anyone without fearing a breakdown. She felt only Elaine getting up to leave as commanded. "Andy…you too." He was hurt, but understood and followed Elaine out the door. Once alone, she let her tears fall. She was never going to see Freddy again. She swore to herself—for giving him the rest of her power. If she had kept it instead, she could have saved them both. It didn't matter to her that she still held the title—Dream Mistress.

* * *

_A/N: Yes, believe it...Jordyn has brought the Dream Master into reality. Betcha didn't expect Freddy to take possession of Alex's body to get here in the first place. But now the teen called the cops on our lovers...and they are torn apart when Carl arrives on the scene. Hehe, now she really hates Detective Hagen. And egads...Jordyn is back in the hospital...AGAIN! Only this time, she's held there against her will. Authority refuses to allow the opportunity for her to find Freddy and go to him. It's so crazy, but you know you want more!!!_

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	13. Another Krueger & a Distraught Mistress

_Disclaimer: see the intro_**

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**Chapter 12**

Detective Hagen exited the concession room with a bag of chips in his hand and walked right into a young woman sporting shoulder length straight black hair and a gray blazer suit. "Oh, I'm sorry." He apologized to her as he made sure she didn't fall.

"It's quite alright." She mumbled before continuing on to her destination. Detective Hagen couldn't help but to watch as the woman passed from room to room, stopping each time to check inside. He was surprised to see her approach Jordyn's room before walking into it. Jordyn was trying to settle into some sleep when the woman approached her. The woman spoke first, "Hello. I apologize for the intrusion, but I had to visit you."

"Do I know you?" Jordyn snapped. The past few hours had taken a toll on her.

"Well, you may know OF me." The woman took a seat. "You're situation with Freddy Krueger caught my attention, so I got here as quickly as I could."

"Oh great, a reporter." Jordyn rolled her eyes. "I'm not interested in an interview, so you can just leave."

The woman shook her head, "I'm not a reporter, Jordyn." She sighed before revealing herself, "I'm Katherine Krueger—Freddy's daughter." And Jordyn was suddenly at a loss for words. "Has he not told you about me?"

Jordyn regained herself, "He briefly mentioned you—and you're betrayal." Darkness sifted across Jordyn's expression.

Katherine blinked, "You really are in love with him."

"What does it matter?" Jordyn coldly replied.

"Is it mutual?"

"What?" Jordyn looked back at Katherine.

"Does he love you?"

"Why are you asking?" Jordyn's eyes narrowed. "I don't need his daughters' approval."

Katherine frowned, "Are you sure he isn't just using you to get victims?" Jordyn was appalled at the insinuation.

"How dare you!" She sat up for emphasis, "I spent three years at a London hospital in a coma—when actually I was with him. For those three years he only focused on me and not slaying innocent kids in their sleep. When I met him, I was of the age range of his victims."

"I only asked because he tried to use me once. He used a teen to track me down and then wanted me to help bring him to the real world."

Jordyn fidgeted, "No offence, but I don't wanna talk about him anymore."

Katherine sighed, "Jordyn…"

"I said drop it!" Jordyn snapped.

"Did you have a fight with him?" Katherine asked.

Finally, Jordyn broke down into tears, "I couldn't get to his world anymore, so he came here—to be with me. I gave him the rest of my power so he could form his own body. But they have him now. They're gonna hang him in two days!"

"They who, Jordyn?" Katherine tried to calm Jordyn down.

"Detective Hagen and his men."

"What's his number?"

"Huh?"

"Detective Hagen. What is his number?" Katherine retrieved her cell phone.

Jordyn shook her head, "He's probably still hanging around here hoping I'll change my mind and wanna see him."

"The man I bumped into on my way here." Katherine absently spoke aloud.

"What?"

"Nevermind." Katherine abruptly stood, "I have to take care of a few things, but I promise I'll be back." She left the room before Jordyn could reply. It took a few minutes for Katherine to locate Carl. "Excuse me, Detective Hagen, right?"

He recognized her, "Yes. Can I help you?"

"You have to let her see him."

"Do what now?" Carl blinked in confusion. "Who are you?"

"Take Jordyn to see Freddy."

"Out of the question." Carl shook his head and asked again, "Who are you?"

"Look, Detective Hagen, I run a home for kids gone AWOL. I'm a therapist and try to help them. I know the signs of a suicidal and I've seen them in Jordyn."

Carl started towards Jordyn's room, "She's what?"

Katherine stopped him, "She hasn't verbalized it yet—but if you don't arrange a visit before Freddy's hanging, then we're going to have a real problem on our hands." He grunted in response. She continued, "We both have questions and want answers. How bout we deal with it privately over coffee?"

"Fine." He led her down to the hospital café and chose a booth in a fairly empty area near the back of the room. "Now, are you gonna tell me your name or…"

"Maggie Burroughs." She offered her hand to him. She had accepted her real name, but felt it was too early to drop that bomb to everyone. Jordyn was an exception. She waited until the coffee arrived before she began. "I need to know what her relationship to Freddy is."

Carl took a slow sip of his black coffee before responding, "Well, _Maggie Burroughs_, just why exactly are you so interested in it?"

Katherine sighed, "Ok, you're the only other person in this situation that I'll reveal this to." She hadn't wanted to do this, but he gave her no choice. Carl nodded for her to continue. "My name technically isn't Maggie Burroughs. It was changed to that when I was a little girl and some family adopted me." She paused to let that sink in. "Up until I turned 30, I had forgotten that my real name was Katherine Krueger."

Carl nearly choked on his coffee then. "Oh my god. You're Freddy's daughter?" She nodded. "Does Jordyn know?"

"Yes. She told me that he had mentioned me to her."

"Whoa!" He set his cup down. "Then I suppose it's fair to tell you all about them. Let's start with Jordyn."

"Ok."

"At age 9, she started getting mysteriously sick. She became a media phenomenon almost instantly. As she grew older, it grew worse—both with the media and with her illness. By the time she turned 17, Jordyn fell into a coma. She woke up three years later perfectly healthy—as if she was never sick at all. Jordyn became a public icon once again—especially after the media caught wind about her insistence that she was with Freddy the whole time."

Katherine nodded, "She had mentioned that when I talked to her."

Carl coughed, "Yeah, well…she got fed up with her story being treated like a joke and somehow managed to just disappear. News about her became sparse and like with all things, the public's interest began to fade from lack of updates. Two years after that, he began killing again. My daughter became a victim and I spent three years trying to find Jordyn." He paused and glanced down at his cup, but decided against stealing a sip. "All of that happened because apparently Jordyn was to be his Dream Mistress."

"Dream Mistress?" Katherine wondered.

"As a Dream Mistress, Jordyn would—at will—be able to travel to there and back with just a thought or a desire. I mean…going to Dream World with her actual physical body. And her only major duty as a Dream Mistress—besides being romantically involved with him—was that she was required to deliver him victims."

Katherine gasped, "My goodness."

"She had managed to deliver to him…a boy named Thomas, and my daughter…before she got that stab wound."

"She mentioned that she lost her power. That she couldn't go to him anymore, but that after giving what was left of her power to him…he was able to form his own body here in ours—just so they could be together."

"So that's how he's here." Carl was surprised. He ran a hand through his hair and thought aloud, "I could lose my job over this. Let me think about it." He got up, "I gotta get back to the office. Call me if anything happens with her." Carl handed Katherine his business card and left.

* * *

Melvin had heard that Jordyn was back in the hospital. After finding out the room number, he paid her a visit. When he walked into the room, she was by the window—leaning half against the nearby wall for support. "Hey! You're back!"

Jordyn recognized his voice, so she didn't have to turn around, "Hi, Melvin."

Melvin approached her and took post next to her. "It's good to see you again…but why are you here? Shouldn't you be with Freddy?"

"I was, but Detective Hagen showed up with his men." She gritted her teeth, "As you can see, I wasn't fit to stand against them." Melvin nodded.

"So, if you're here…then where is he?"

Jordyn shrugged, "They're hiding him somewhere." Finally she looked at Melvin, "They refuse to tell me where and I have less than two days to find him."

"What's gonna happen in two days?"

"They're gonna hang him, Melvin." Tears filled her eyes. Carefully, Melvin took her into his arms and she cried into his shoulder. Katherine had walked back into the room and remained quiet upon seeing Jordyn in Melvin's arms. After a few more moments, Jordyn's tears subsided and she stepped away from him, "Thanks, Melvin."

"Don't mention it." He smiled, hoping it would cheer her up. Katherine caught Jordyn's attention, causing Melvin to notice the other woman. "Uh, hi." Jordyn's eyes narrowed at Katherine. "Are you a friend?"

"No." Jordyn vehemently spat. She locked her eyes on Melvin's chest, unable to look at Katherine any longer. "What do you want?"

Katherine frowned, "Well, I just had a brief meeting with Detective Hagen."

"And you came back to tell me that?" Still Jordyn didn't look at Katherine.

"No. I came back to let you know that he's agreed to help us find Freddy for you."

That made Jordyn turn fully toward Katherine. "He what?"

"Any chance that I could help?" Melvin chimed in.

"No, Melvin. You've done more than enough for me." Jordyn stepped away from him and ignored his hurt expression. "What made him agree to help me?"

"I'm just very convincing." Katherine lightly replied. She wondered if it was wise to express her concern about Jordyn possibly being suicidal. Jordyn moved back to the bed and sat on it.

"Melvin, can you go out into the waiting room and tell Andy to come in?" He nodded to her request and turned to leave, but stopped when he saw Andy in the doorway.

"Had a feeling you needed me."

Jordyn motioned him to the chair near the bed. "You're important to me and I like having you around." Jordyn knew she'd have to explain the ominiousity when she noticed Katherine's expression. But she wasn't about to volunteer an explanation, as she felt it was none of Katherine's concern. If Freddy was against Katherine, then she was too.

"How'd you know she needed you?" Jordyn glanced over to Melvin upon hearing his vocalized curiosity. Her eyes narrowed as she looked away, until a hand on her arm made her turn back.

Her eyes met with Andy's in the unspoken question of who should answer the question. She gave a nod toward him. Andy knew then that he'd been given her approval. "Well…"

"Melvin." The other man supplied.

"Melvin…I'm not exactly sure what to call this weird connection between me and Jordyn, but I do know that it's beyond the realm of all logic."

Jordyn knew what it was, but she just never had a chance to inform Andy. "Simply put…Andy is a Spiritual Guide, a one-man counsel for the Dream Mistress."

"I've never heard of such a thing." Katherine leaned forward in thought. "So, Andy…what is it that you do exactly?"

"Just whatever is needed for her at the moment." Andy answered as he beamed at Jordyn. "It could be advice for a situation, or an errand that she needs done…or a bodyguard. Basically, I'm an extremely loyal servant to the Dream Mistress." Andy rose to his feet then and glared at Katherine. "You're his daughter. Didn't you betray him?"

"Relax, Andy." Jordyn nudged his arm to get him to sit back down. "I've already been through that with her. She knows where she stands with me." Finally, he did as his Mistress commanded.

"And what about him?" Andy motioned to Melvin.

"Melvin is ok." Jordyn was growing tired and the wound in her side was beginning to bother her again.

"Yeah, it's cool…I'm a friend." Melvin worriedly defended himself.

"Even so, I think it's time to leave." Andy had taken note of Jordyn's subtle wince. He turned to Katherine, "You too." Once alone, he sat in silence at Jordyn's side as they both enjoyed each others company. After a few moments, her eyes drooped close since she couldn't fight against her exhaustion any further. Andy stood and leaned over to kiss her forehead, "Rest easy now." Then he left the room.

* * *

_A/N: WTF?! Katherine Krueger!? Oh yes! She's back, and right off the bat she becomes Jordyn't enemy. But Katherine just wants to be friends despite that it's with her father's lover. Melvin is Jordyn's shoulder to cry on for a moment and then Jordyn reveals just exactly what Andy is to her--a Spiritual Guide for the Dream Mistress (hey, someone does need to look out for her). Katherine reveals that Carl wants to help Jordyn find Freddy (even though Carl knows where the killer is), but Jordyn finds that hard to believe. You'll have to wait and see if Carl will really help the Dream lovers. _

* * *


	14. Melancholy Mistress, Cease your Sadness

_Disclaimer: see the intro_

* * *

**Chapter 13**

"I've been ousted!" Katherine vented into the phone.

Carl leaned back in his desk chair, "Calm down, Katherine." An audible sigh escaped her lips. "Now, tell me exactly what made you upset."

"Everyone knows who I am!"

Carl blinked, "Are you sure?"

"I was there! Of course I'm sure!!"

Inwardly he grimaced while outwardly he flinched, "Well, it wasn't me."

"I know. It was Andy!" She revealed.

"How does he know?"

"He just seemed to." Then Katherine blurted, "Wait, Jordyn had called him a Spiritual Guide!"

"A what?" Carl switched the phone to his other ear. "What the hell is a—never mind, I don't think I really wanna know." He had a hell of a time trying to wrap his mind about the whole Dream Mistress deal.

"Don't think I could even explain it the way they did." She rebutted.

"Well, is it so bad that they know who you are?" Carl asked.

There was silence from Katherine's end for a moment. "I don't know. I think since I'm such a betrayer to them that I don't even matter."

"Do you still think she's suicidal?"

"It's just a hunch right now. I'd need to sit with her longer than I've gotten the chance to in order to be fully sure."

"I could arrange that." Carl offered.

"How?"

"There's a woman who works there at the hospital, she's a friend. Her name is Elaine and she's in charge of a therapy group of kids who've encountered Freddy."

"Well, I'm still here at the hospital…so maybe I'll track her down." Katherine said goodbye and hung up.

Carl sat back in his chair. He was still contemplating on Katherine's suggestion about Freddy and Jordyn. He began to think that maybe at least seeing Freddy one more time could help bring her closure. And it just may earn him points to get back in her favor. Carl stood and headed to his boss's office.

* * *

Several minutes passed before Jordyn realized that sleeping was more painful for her than the wound in her side. Every time she tried to close her eyes, images of Freddy danced beneath her eyelids. The TV only provided her mere minutes of distraction since nothing interested her. Jordyn slowly sat up and slid off the bed. She had needed to visit the restroom.

While she was taking her time, a nurse entered the room to check up on her. The nurse saw the empty bed and grew worried. The sound of the flushing toilet almost went unnoticed. Jordyn emerged from the restroom and the nurse gave a sigh of relief. Jordyn only glared in return. She wordlessly passed the nurse and stood again at the window, watching the cars on the street and in the parking lot.

"You should rest." The nurse suggestively commanded.

"Can't sleep." Jordyn replied in as few words as possible. That was all her sanity could handle of social interaction at the moment. Without taking her gaze from the window, she harshly returned a command, "Please leave." The nurse frowned, but left in a 'good riddance' manner. Jordyn pressed her forehead against the glass and wished it would give out on her.

"Not the thoughts you should be entertaining." She forgot of her wound as she whirled around upon hearing that voice.

"Freddy?" She was obviously hopeful and extremely let down when she saw who it was.

"Close, but not quite." The small Dream Demon appeared, along with his two counterparts. Jordyn frowned at the three of them, especially when they knelt at her feet.

"What has our Mistress so upset?" The tall one asked. Jordyn responded by turning her gaze back to the window.

"Your powers may be gone, but he is not." The small one replied.

"What do you mean?" Jordyn approached them this time.

The medium one stood up, "You shall see him again."

"Soon." The tall one added.

"Quit being ominous." She bellowed and flailed her arms at them only to be reminded of her wound.

"You will find out after you get some rest." The small one explained.

Jordyn gave in, "Fine." She settled into her bed and closed her eyes as the Dream Demons faded away.

* * *

Elaine turned a corridor and saw Andy sitting in the waiting room. "Andy?"

He glanced up from his magazine, "Hey, Elaine."

"You're still here?" She sat next to him as he set the mag aside.

"Yeah." He sobered up. "I'm really worried about her."

At this moment, Katherine chose to enter, "You have reason to worry."

"Who are you?" Elaine stood up and Andy followed suit.

"Elaine, this is—"

"Maggie Burroughs." She interrupted him and began to focus solely on Elaine, "I hear you do therapy with kids who have been tormented by Freddy Krueger."

"That is correct." Elaine nodded.

"Is Jordyn part of your group?"

Elaine furrowed her brow, "Not really. She attended a couple of sessions, but mostly made it clear that she wanted nothing to do with us."

"And more to do with Freddy, right?" Katherine pressed.

"Yes."

"Now, I find it startling that you don't appear to be overly worried about her mentality."

"Well of course I'm concerned." Elaine replied defensively. "Jordyn's had a hard life, but I'm sure she'll be ok."

Katherine shook her head, "I have reason to believe otherwise." She then lowered her voice, "There's a possibility that she could be suicidal."

Elaine's eyes went wide, "What?!"

Andy simply nodded, "It's understandable."

"Andy? Aren't you worried?" Elaine was shocked as Andy shook his head.

"It's because you're her Spiritual Guide?" Andy nodded to Katherine's question.

"Spiritual Guide?" Elaine was confused.

"I'll explain later, Elaine." Andy consoled her. "There's only one course of action now."

"Reunite them?" Katherine asked.

Andy shook his head, "No. We keep her distracted." The three of them began to discuss how they could do that.

* * *

The last day of Freddy's life arrived and Jordyn was confused. Newscasts aired—nearly every hour—promises of Freddy's hanging to be fully televised. Yet the Dream Demons promised yesterday that she'd see him again. _If I'm with him, then how can they hang him?_ She figured that the moment she was with him, they would disappear. _They can't hang him if we drop off the radar._

Movement next to her caught her attention, turning her gaze away from the outside world beyond the window. "Hi, Jordyn." Andy's voice softly broke her reverie. Her response was to quietly turn to him and softly sink into his embrace. "It's gonna be ok, you'll see." He consoled her.

She brought her head up and her lips near his ear, "Is that what you sense, Andy?"

"Yes." He replied and felt her nod of approval.

"Take me outside." Andy stepped back from her and without further hesitation, he carried out her request. He went to get the wheelchair for her, but she simply proceeded to the door.

"Jo, wait!" He stopped her. "Sorry, but the rules…" Andy didn't need to explain any further. She knew what he was talking about. Jordyn frowned at the chair, but sat in it. In moments, they had arrived at a small garden park designated for outside visits with the hospital patients. Andy parked the wheelchair by a rose cluster and sat on the bench next to Jordyn. "Is this better?" He asked her, but she just looked at him.

Finally she spoke, "Thank you, Andy." Her reply sounded far away. Andy clearly saw what made Katherine worried. He felt a bit of respect toward Freddy's daughter. The woman never had a say in being the daughter of a madman—a madman that she tried to stop, once she was old enough.

He reached over and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Penny for your thoughts, Jordyn?"

She made an obvious show of blinking her eyes, "It can't end this way, Andy, but I'm out of time." He knew where this was going and had to stick to his plan of distracting her. "I want to get out of here. I'm sick of this place."

Andy sighed, "You know you need to heal properly first, and then you can go home." Jordyn didn't respond. He turned to the rose cluster, "Aren't these beautiful?" She glared at him. "Take a smell, Jo."

"Don't."

"Don't what?" He replied nonchalantly.

"I know what you're trying to do." She turned away. "I should be trying to find him, not sitting here wasting time with you."

"You must know that this is for your own good."

"Is it?" She shot back. "Yesterday, they visited me again and hinted that I would see him again. So you're just wasting my time since it's going to happen anyway!"

_They?_ He thought. "The Dream Demons?" She nodded. "They probably were lying to you. How do you know they can be trusted?"

"They wouldn't dare lie to their Mistress!" She seethed in return, clearly becoming agitated by his accusations.

He held up his hands in defeat, "Sorry."

Jordyn shook her head, "No, I'm the one who should apologize. You're just trying to keep me happy and I'm not making it easy on you." She leaned into him again. "But I cannot be happy without him, Andy. You must know that! Please, help me find him!"

"Perhaps I can be of some help."

Jordyn glanced up to see Carl approaching her and she frowned. "It's your fault we're in this mess. If you had just called off your guys…"

"I know, I know." He deterred her rant. "But I'm the only one here that knows where Freddy is, so you have to come with me."

"This better not be another trick."

"It's not." Carl began to wheel her to the car when Andy proceeded to follow.

"I'm going alone." Jordyn didn't look at Andy, but he knew she was talking to him.

Andy watched as she climbed into the passenger side of Carl's car. "I'll be waiting for you, Jo!"

* * *

Elaine sat in her office after Katherine had visited her. _I wonder how Andy is faring with keeping Jordyn occupied._ Just then, her cell rang. "Hello?" She was curious of the caller.

"Elaine, hi." It was Carl.

"Detective?"

"Yeah, I know you weren't expecting me." He replied while driving.

"I certainly wasn't." She leaned back in her chair. "Are you looking for Jordyn?"

"No. She's with me."

"With you?"

"I know you, Katherine and Andy thought it best to keep her from him, but I felt different." Carl explained.

"Detective, are you trying to score brownie points with her?"

He chuckled and glanced to Jordyn in the seat next to him. "I'm just trying to do the right thing, Elaine."

"Maybe none of us are doing the right thing." Elaine's comment was sudden.

"What do you mean, Elaine?"

"I mean…we've sought to keep them apart, you've decided to let them be together—maybe one last time—but, what does she want?"

Carl's end of the conversation was quiet as Elaine's reply sunk in. "It's obvious that she wants to be with him."

"Does she?"

"Well yeah…"

"Are you sure that's not just this Mistress side of her talking?" Elaine was making him think. She was threatening to cast doubt in him and Carl didn't like it one bit.

"I'm going to play this out regardless, Elaine." And with that he hung up his end of the conversation.

"Was she trying to talk you out of this?" Jordyn finally spoke to him.

Carl grimaced and pulled the car into the driveway of a rickety abandoned house. He parked the car and turned to her, "He's inside…second floor, third door on the right." Jordyn proceeded to get out of the car. "Oh, and you'll need this." He handed her a set of keys.

"What're these for?"

Carl just smirked and simply told her, "You'll see when you open the door to his room." He then shooed her off before his chief found out that he had gone against orders.

* * *

_A/N: Katherine's true identity being revealed is the least of ANYONE'S worries. Andy's plan doesn't go so well, especially when Carl intervenes. That detective sure is playing with thin ice. We shall see soon if his little stunt DID get him back in favor with our DM. Now it's time do you your thing, READERS!_

* * *


	15. Look what you did, Detective

_Disclaimer: see the intro_

* * *

**Chapter 14**

Jordyn made her way up the porch steps as best she could, but her injury wasn't making this any easier on her. At the bottom of the stairs to the second floor, she grimaced. She was starting to hate stairs just as much as hospitals. After sitting in a car for most of the five and a half hour drive, moving up the stairs was much slower than before—when she was at Andy's house.

Finally she arrived, and was closer now to Freddy's room. But then she froze at the door, suddenly fearful. She tried to encourage herself, "C'mon, Jordyn, you can do this." Eventually she entered the room and gasped at what she saw. "Oh, Freddy, what did they do to you?" Jordyn's heart sunk when she spotted him chained uncomfortably at the back of the room.

She was at his side instantly, with the key in her hand. Freddy looked up and finally noticed her. "Jordyn?" She nodded to his question and released him from the chains. "Remind me that I owe him big!"

Jordyn knew who he meant as she let her eyes wander the room. That's when she noticed the comforting bed. Without warning, Freddy rose to his feet and approached the bed. Jordyn followed him to the bed, sitting next to him. He pulled her close and she winced. "I'm ok." She tried to assure him. "I just…"

Freddy spoke, "What?" He took her hand and brought it to his lips.

Jordyn's reverie was broken and she dropped her hand, still staring at him, "Freddy…" She shook her head and turned to him, "I…make love to me." Freddy shook his head, wondering if she was up for it. She gazed away, and Freddy could tell she was hurt from his doubts.

He gave in, "Ok." He made sure to be careful, but she seemed impatient. He silently cursed at Claire, for stabbing his Jordyn in the first place. Finally, they both were nude and hungrily pawing at each other.

Suddenly she broke into tears, startling Freddy. He assumed it was something that he did, but she wouldn't explain herself. When he began pulling away, she clutched onto him. "No please!" Her words came out in a sob and it tore at his heart.

"Tell me what has you upset." He ordered.

"I just need you tonight." When he realized she would offer no better answer than that, he gently resumed their passion. The consummation was short and soon they fell asleep.

Three and half hours later, Freddy awoke while Jordyn was comfortably asleep. Since their first kiss, Freddy was aware that this wouldn't last. He laid back down and watched her breathing until sleep reclaimed him.

Sunday morning rolled around, and after much stalling, Carl arrived to escort Freddy to the location. Freddy looked at Jordyn's sleeping figure, "Should we..."

"Let her sleep." Carl interrupted. "She hasn't been doing much of it lately." Much to Freddy's surprise, Carl leaned over and kissed her forehead.

"You'll take care of her, right?" Carl nodded to Freddy's concerned question.

"Of course." Carl signaled for his partner to take Freddy to the car.

* * *

"Detective Hagen called earlier and told me where Jordyn is." Elaine spoke to Andy on her cell. "It's almost a six hour drive and I'm headed out there now. Then I'll bring her to your place. She's gonna need constant surveillance." Andy agreed to it as well, since he felt that Katherine had been right all along—after Jordyn spent one last night with Freddy.

The five and a half hour drive went by without a hitch and soon the house came into view. Elaine walked into the house to find it trashed. "Jordyn?" Elaine called out and got no response. She shook her head and hoped nothing bad happened—other than what appeared to be a small temper tantrum. Elaine wandered into the living room, noting that the worst of the mess started there. "Jordyn, answer me!" Elaine turned as Jordyn entered the living room. Elaine was relieved, but Jordyn seemed severely distraught.

"Why didn't they wake me?!"

Elaine approached her. "Detective Hagen said you needed…"

Jordyn cut her off, "NO!" She sunk onto the couch and tears formed in her eyes. "Stop deciding things for me! I'm not a sick child anymore! I can talk and express my needs now!" Jordyn glared directly to Elaine. "Why did they let me see him, only to take him away again?"

She revealed, "Detective Hagen had gone against orders to arrange one last night for you and Freddy." Elaine sighed and sat next to Jordyn. "He could have lost his job."

"Would have served him right." Jordyn shot back.

Elaine took Jordyn's hand in hers, "You do remember that Detective Hagen is in love with you, right?" Jordyn shied away.

"I haven't forgotten." Her reply was sullen, but she had stopped crying for the moment. "I suppose you're gonna urge me to pursue that path."

Elaine took a deep breath. "You'll need to have someone to lean on during this rough time. Besides, you're not fully healed yet."

Jordyn blinked and stepped away from Elaine. "I'm not sure I could handle it. Could Detective Hagen stand to be with me—wanting me that way, knowing I'll never return such feelings?"

"Yes. He certainly made it clear to me during your first visit to the hospital after Claire stabbed you."

"Saying and doing are two different things, Elaine." Jordyn rebuffed. "He'll tire of waiting for me to come around—supposing that eventually I would."

"I bet he'd wait forever for you, Jordyn." Elaine stood up and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You ARE worth the wait."

Jordyn shook Elaine's hand off. "I could never love another." She turned away and allowed the silence.

Finally, Elaine broke it, "Well, I best take you to Andy's then." Jordyn gave a subtle nod and followed Elaine to the car.

* * *

Melvin had just woken from a nap—his first time sleeping fully in what seemed like forever—and was in the midst of watching TV. If he continued to improve, the doctors hinted that he would finally get to go home. A knock on the door caught his attention. He wondered if it was Jordyn, as he hadn't seen her around—but he knew she was checked in again.

But to his surprise, it was Katherine, "I don't mean to intrude. You're Melvin, right?" He nodded. She closed the door and took a seat near him. "I'm…Katherine Kruger." She had given up trying to withhold her identity.

His eyes went wide, "Kruger?!"

"Yes, I'm his daughter." She sighed. "But I'm not here to talk about me. I want to know what you think of him and Jordyn."

"It's weird to see how much in love he is. I mean, he's a killer for cryin out loud!" Melvin settled back into bed. "Jordyn had me do a favor for her—which was to deliver a message to him."

"What did she say?"

"Well, I'd like to think she was helping me by relieving my fear of sleeping, but she also wanted to let him know that he shouldn't have doubted her."

"I assume he didn't try to kill you."

Melvin shook his head, "He started ranting and raving about her—much like a heartbroken man. Then he let me go after I promised to return a message to her."

Katherine leaned forward, "What was it?"

"He said that she would see him soon."

"How did she take it?"

Melvin appeared thoughtful for a moment, "She seemed upset and confused."

"Confused?"

"Yeah, she mentioned that she couldn't go to him so it left her wondering how she would see him." Katherine was about to reply, but the news caught their attention. It was a blurb reminding viewers about the full recap coverage of Freddy's hanging that would air over the late night news. Once commercials came on, Melvin turned to Katherine, "They hung him?! How?"

She then explained what she knew, "Somehow he found a way to crossover to our realm. He tried it with me once—but for different reasons." Melvin was quiet as he tried to take this all in. "I know, I can't believe this is over either."

Melvin glanced up and shook his head, "No, that's not what is troubling me. It's…I just can't figure out how he got here…to our realm."

"Oh." Katherine sighed, "She gave up her Dream Mistress powers."

"Wow." Melvin glanced at the TV and regularly scheduled programming was on.

"This doesn't mean anything to you…but I'm leaving now. With Freddy dead for good now, there's no need to stick around." Katherine stood up. "It was nice meeting you Melvin. Take care now."

He shook her hand, "You too." Katherine left the room, with her cell to her ear in the midst of scheduling a flight back home.

* * *

Elaine tried to illicit conversation with Jordyn, but the young woman had become eerily quiet during the drive to Andy's house. Elaine explained the current mood to Andy. "Physically she looks fine and that includes her wound."

"The whole suicidal thing, right?" Andy watched Jordyn trudge into his house while he talked with Elaine on the porch.

Elaine nodded. "I'll keep my line open if you need to reach me." She walked down the steps before turning back to him. "Oh, how bout I stop by later tonight with dinner?"

"That would be great." He watched Elaine get into her car and drive off before heading inside. Andy spotted Jordyn sleeping on the couch, so he decided to carry her to his room on the second floor. It was a bit difficult, but he managed. He set his TV volume on low and switched on his favorite game "Sluethers"—an action packed detective game. It made him think of Detective Hagen, Claire's father. Andy realized he had regained respect for the man. He remembered that the detective had feelings for Jordyn, yet had to do the duty of overseeing Freddy's sentencing. Andy sighed, unable to fathom that the nightmares for all kids his age would end—that they were over.

* * *

Carl had just arrived at the station to start his shift as Katherine approached him. "Katherine, what brings you here?"

She seemed out of breath, "Detective, I heard from Andy that you took Jordyn to see Freddy."

He stopped and turned to face her, "Word gets around fast, eh?" Carl motioned for her to follow him to his desk. He continued talking once they were seated, "Yes, I took her to see him."

"And you let them alone?"

"For the whole night." He added.

"The whole night?" She echoed in disbelief.

"Yes, that's what I just said." He looked down at some papers on his desk and tapped his pen on them in frustration. Katherine didn't even want to think about what Jordyn and Freddy did all night, so she shuddered the thought right out of her.

"So what happens now?" She had gotten his attention again.

Carl sighed, "I plan on watchin over her. She's with Andy right now, but she can't move in with him permanently. His house isn't equipped for something like that."

"And you have the space, right?" He nodded to Katherine's question. "Aren't you concerned about talk of trying to replace your daughter?"

That pissed him off. "Don't you ever insinuate that again!"

"Sorry."

"Just go home." He went back to his paperwork and paid no attention as she left. After a few moments, he picked up the phone and dialed Andy's house. The boy answered within a few rings.

"Hello?"

"Andy, how is she?"

"Detective, why are you calling?"

Even though Carl understood the hostility, he still felt hurt. "I'm concerned about her."

"Well she's fine. So thanks for calling."

"No don't hang up!" Carl heard silence and then slammed his phone down. "Dammit, what did she tell him?" He needed to talk to her.

* * *

_A/N: The last night. Looks like Carl's gift to Jordyn (who's now under the care of Andy again) permanently ruined that relationship. If it weren't his for his Spiritual Guide role, Andy just might have made amends with the Detective. But if his Mistress loathes Carl, then Andy does too. Meanwhile, Katherine feeds her own desire to get more of a feel for the relationship between her father and Jordyn by asking a third party. With one last visit to Carl, Katherine almost alienates herself from the gang before literally and figuratively distancing herself from this whole affair. Sorry, READERS, but y'all with have to wait just a bit longer to see how this adventure nicely tidys up._

* * *


	16. Sleep Well, my Mistress

_Disclaimer: see the intro_

* * *

**Chapter 15**

Jordyn had been at the bottom of the stairs listening to Andy's conversation with Carl. She had come downstairs with intent on engaging in a game against Andy, but hearing him on the phone had deterred her. When he hung up, she scampered back up to the bedroom only to fall back asleep.

She awoke a few hours later to find Elaine and Andy on the couch eating dinner while watching the news. Again she was going to announce her presence, but the screen caught her attention. Quietly she watched as the news replayed footage of Freddy's execution. Tears welled up in her eyes as he stood upon the chair with the noose around his neck. "NO!!" Jordyn wailed just as the chair was kicked out from under his feet. Startled, both Elaine and Andy whipped around in time to see Jordyn fleeing the room.

"Oh shit." Andy exclaimed.

"Jordyn, honey…" Elaine got up and took off after the younger woman. The chase led Elaine to the first floor bathroom. She tried the door only to find it locked. "She locked the door, Andy!"

Andy left the room for a moment and returned with a device in his hand. "Here, let me get it open." Elaine stepped aside and let Andy do his thing. After a few minutes, he finally gained entry to the bathroom. But even then it was just a few minutes too late. "Shit!" He exclaimed again once he saw Jordyn. Blood oozed from the wrists of her slumped figure on the floor and it was evident that she was unconscious. "Elaine, dial 911!!"

While waiting for the ambulance, Andy and Elaine followed instructions from the operator to stop the bleeding. Finally it arrived and they quickly loaded her up—with Andy tagging along. Elaine promised to pick up Carl on the way to the hospital.

Andy was forced to wait in the visitors' room, while Jordyn was wheeled into emergency. His pacing figure was spotted by Melvin. "Andy?" Melvin strolled over. "What are you doing in Emergency?"

"We had a problem." Andy answered.

"Is it Jordyn? Is she ok?"

Andy shook his head. "She tried to kill herself." Melvin gasped. "They're working on her now."

Melvin nodded, "This happened because of Freddy's execution, right?"

"She walked in on me and Elaine watching it on the nightly news." Andy explained.

"I saw advertisement for it after lunch."

"So what are you doing here?" Andy asked.

"They let me walk around as long as I'm cooperative with them. But I get out tomorrow. Finally!" Melvin chuckled as Carl and Elaine entered.

"Where is she?" Carl spoke first.

Andy quickly stood in Carl's path, "Listen, Detective Hagen, don't forget that she loathes you right now. AND I'm supposed to keep you from her…but she'll need all of us in her corner now."

"I understand." Carl eased back a step.

"Hello, Melvin. I hear you get to go home tomorrow." Elaine struck up a conversation with him.

"Yeah, but it seems that Jordyn keeps coming back." Melvin replied.

"That's because she has, Melvin." Andy added.

"Excuse me." Everyone turned and faced the nurse that approached them. "Who is the responsible guardian for Ms. Poletti?"

"I am." Andy stepped forward. The nurse gave him a skeptical look.

Elaine nodded, "It's a long, complicated situation. Just let him go, Helen." The nurse finally turned and led Andy to the room they put Jordyn in. There was no further conversation until they reached the room and Andy saw the doctor. The nurse introduced the doctor to Andy, "This is Dr. Mirrel. He is in charge of Ms. Poletti's care while she is here."

Andy and Dr. Mirrel shook hands. Then the doctor spoke, "Nice to meet you, young man."

"Andy?" Jordyn's meek voice called out to him and her fingers grazed his arm.

"I'm here." He took her hand and noticed her bandaged wrists. Andy sat by her side as a tear fell from her eye. He reached to wipe it away.

The doctor coughed to regain their attention, "I'd like to keep her for the next couple of days to monitor her. But you're welcome to visit her during regular visiting hours." Andy nodded and the doctor left.

"You can stay for a few minutes. We've given her a sedative to help her sleep through the night uninterrupted. Andy nodded to the nurses' explanation and watched her leave. Then he gave his attention back to Jordyn.

"Feeling ok now, Jo?" Her response was to lightly squeeze his fingers. "Are you hungry at all?" She nodded and he reached for the "Call Nurse" button at the side of her hospital bed. Seconds later, it beeped. "Yeah, any chance we could get a food tray up here?" His request was approved. He turned back to Jordyn. "Foods on its way."

"Thanks, Andy." There was silence for a moment. "He's really gone, isn't he?"

Right away, Andy knew who she meant. "I'm afraid so, Jordyn." She whimpered upon his reply. "But he'd want you to be strong and live on."

A different nurse had entered and interrupted their conversation, "Ms. Poletti, here's the requested food tray." Andy took it from the nurse. Jordyn remained quiet in the presence of the nurse, until she was alone with Andy again.

"Try and eat as much as you can, Jo." He set it up for her and then watched her eat. There was an awkward silence for a moment.

Jordyn finally spoke again after a few bites, "I want a proper burial for him."

"Uh, I don't think the public would be too happy with that." He began. "But I think he should have one." She ate a few more bites.

"I know what he did was wrong. But I was a part of it—I had led Claire and Thomas to their death, after all." She shook her head at Andy as he was about to protest. "If I were to die, I'd get a burial—so he deserves the same." Andy consented with a nod. Just as she began to reach for the bread roll in the corner of her tray, the sedatives kicked in and quickly pulled her to sleep.

Andy was only slightly surprised. The nurse did warn him, after all. He leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Sleep well, my Mistress." He cleaned up the food tray and took it with him when he left the room quietly.

* * *

"I've been partially suspended from my duties, Elaine." Carl explained to her the next morning over coffee at the local breakfast joint.

"For how long?" Elaine slipped a forkful of eggs into her mouth.

"Seven months. But I still get a paycheck." He then chuckled, "Well, a partial paycheck."

"I take it the Chief found out about your stunt with Freddy and Jordyn." Carl nodded while Elaine sipped her coffee.

"Speaking of Jordyn…I was planning on visiting her later." Carl reached for his cup of coffee. "I really need to talk to her."

"Well, they've got her on a sedative regimen. But I'll be there most of the time, so I'll alert you when an opportunity arrives."

"Thanks, Elaine." Carl faintly smiled.

"Think nothing of it." Elaine replied in return. "Oh, I better get going. I'm scheduled with a few other patients today." Elaine began gathering her things.

"Do you still have those Sessions?"

Elaine stood with her coat draped over her arm, "With Freddy gone, those sessions aren't really needed anymore."

"That makes sense." Carl replied.

"Thanks for breakfast, Detective."

"Please, call me Carl—and you're welcome." They smiled briefly at each other and then Elaine left the small diner. He resumed his attention on his plate of now lukewarm eggs and sighed as he thought about the past few days.

Katherine left town after explaining that with her father truly dead, that she was going to live as she saw fit—without anything hanging over her head. In other words, she felt guilt free. Alex and Melvin could now get on with their lives—as well as any other kid who had been plagued by Freddy. Carl took a moment to focus his thoughts on those they lost—especially Claire and Thomas.

But he knew the one who suffered the most from this tragedy, was Jordyn. Nearly her whole life was plagued by Freddy. Yet, she would never describe her situation with Freddy as a plague. She loved that…man…so deeply that it had threatened her well-being over and over again. Suddenly, he couldn't wait for Elaine to alert him to the best possible visiting time—he had to see Jordyn now, whether she was awake or asleep.

* * *

Elaine's first client that morning was Shannon, a young spunky girl who lost her older sister to Freddy. The session was going well, until Shannon dived into questions about Jordyn.

"Dr. Kittles, what happened to Jordyn?"

"Now, Shannon, this isn't the time to…" Elaine drifted off upon seeing Shannon's steadfast expression. Elaine sighed and decided to answer as honestly as possible. "Ms. Poletti is alive and well."

"But wasn't she in love with a child murderer?" Elaine nodded to the question. "She must know he's dead now." Shannon pondered aloud.

"She is aware of it." Elaine leaned forward and began an attempt to veer the conversation away from Jordyn's personal life, but Shannon interrupted.

"Well, she must be really upset I bet."

"Why are you fixated on Ms. Poletti, Shannon?" Elaine was now curious.

"Gosh, Dr. Kittles…Jordyn is like a celebrity to us." Shannon gushed. "She was my age when she faced Freddy down."

"So you idolize her?"

Shannon nodded excitedly, "She was a celebrity even before Freddy. Did you know that she's been on TV as a child?"

"Yes, I knew of her illness. But did you know that it was related to Freddy?"

"What do you mean?" Shannon was confused. "Oh, wait…didn't she mention something about being a Dream Mistress when she had visited one of our group sessions?"

Elaine nodded, "According to her, it was Dream Demons that had done it to her. She said it was their way of giving her to the power to travel between realms with nothing but a desire."

"Wow, that's deep." The whole thing seemed crazy to Shannon, but she had more questions. "But how was Freddy able to materialize in our realm?"

Elaine's watch beeped. "Well, our time is up."

"But my…"

Elaine interrupted, "Shannon, I don't think Ms. Poletti would appreciate you digging into her personal life. The whole situation with Freddy is a touchy subject for her. Right now, though, she has enough to worry about without having to wonder who's digging into her privacy."

* * *

Before heading to Jordyn's room, Carl stopped at the nurses' station, "Excuse me, but would you happen to know if Ms. Poletti is awake?"

A nurse looked up from some paperwork, "She was asleep when I checked five minutes ago. You can visit her, but stay quiet and let her sleep."

"Thanks." Carl then entered her room. She was still asleep, so he carefully brought over a chair to sit by her. He resisted the urge to hold her hand in case any movement disturbed her. But a minute later, she stirred awake on her own. When she saw him, she tensed. "Sorry, but I had to visit you."

Jordyn relaxed slightly, but still she hadn't verbally acknowledged him. There was an awkward silence and Jordyn was forced to break it. "Why, Carl?"

He blinked. It was the first time she used his first name. "It was my job."

"No. Why did you take me to him at the safe house only to leave me there alone?"

Carl hesitated, "Andy, Katherine and Elaine had agreed amongst themselves to keep you distracted. But I had a change of heart and felt that you should be with him in his last hours."

"You thought that it would make you ok with me." Jordyn roughly shook her head, "Sorry to burst your bubble, Detective." She turned away and pressed the 'Call Nurse' button.

He was hurt when she switched back to the way she normally addressed him. "Jordyn, it was out of my hands. I got suspended for that." Just then a nurse entered.

"Something wrong, Ms. Poletti?"

"Yes, please escort this man out of my room and see to it that he is banned from any more visits." Carl was horrified. She was actually really shutting him out of her life.

"Jo, you don't honestly mean that, do you?"

She was suddenly upset that he hesitated to heed her command, "You took him away from! The man I love is gone now! He won't even be in anyone's nightmares anymore!"

The nurse moved to get her to lie back down, "Ms. Poletti, please calm down."

"NO!" Jordyn angrily shoved the nurse away and turned her assault back onto Carl, "I know you're in love with me. But what makes you think you can just waltz in and replace him?!" She paused as she was breathing heavily from her anger. "Get out of my sight, Detective! And don't you EVER let me see you again!!"

Carl couldn't even find the words to save his situation with her. Yet he understood how she felt and why she loathed him. He gave her one last hopeful look and dejectedly left the room.

* * *

The rest of the day was uneventful. That evening, Andy learned from Elaine of Carl's unplanned visit to Jordyn and then of her angered breakdown before the doctor was forced to amp up her sedative regimen. He had just finished from an hours worth of gaming to help pass the time and was now rustling up dinner before heading off to visit Jordyn.

Andy set a steaming plate of stir-fry down on the table and turned to get a drink from the fridge. When he turned back to the table, the three Dream Demons were seated in the other chairs around the table.

"Please, sit and enjoy your meal." The tall one motioned to the plate.

"We have much to discuss in such a short time." The small one added.

"You must be the Dream Demons." Andy cautiously sat down.

"Very perceptive." The small one chided. "No wonder our Mistress chose you as her Spiritual Guide."

Andy frowned at the way his title was uttered from the demon. "Guess I shouldn't be surprised that you know of our roles." Wearily, Andy eyed each of the demons. "So, why are you here?"

"Our Mistress is displeased." The medium one finally spoke with just a hint of distress in his voice. It was clear that each of them were equally worried about their Mistress.

"I already know of Freddy's execution." Andy informed them, subconsciously tapping his glass.

"That is just the tip of the dilemma." The small one countered.

The three Dream Demons glanced at each other and then the medium one spoke up again, "Since you are the Spiritual Guide, you obviously have the ability to decipher our words before we even finish saying them. That makes our ominous dialogue useless against you."

The tall one added, "So we'll be direct with you."

"We know you're aware of our Mistress being suicidal."

"Yeah, Katherine figured that out and alerted the rest of us." Andy replied to the small one, who grinned at the mention of the daughter.

"That was certainly a surprise to use—her getting involved."

The medium one continued, "But it was Detective Hagen's unplanned visit to our Mistress that set the ball in motion."

"His mere appearance extremely upset her." The tall one finished.

The small one leaned forward and dropped the bomb, "And tonight—maybe perhaps this moment—our Mistress is ready to end it all upon the roof."

"She's going to jump?" The three Dream Demons nodded to Andy's question and that horrified the young man.

"It's a pity that you won't get to enjoy your meal, but you should go now." The tall one suggested. Andy wasted no time and was gone.

* * *

Jordyn sat up groggily. She knew the nurses were purposely keeping her sedated out of fear for her mentality. The most recent dose was wearing off and Jordyn knew they'd arrive soon to refill her IV. She glanced toward the window and half admired the beauty of the sunset. Jordyn shed a tear after wishing she could share this moment with her Freddy. However, a figure entered the room and she tensed—waiting for the nurse to greet her.

"Hey, you're up!"

"Melvin?" He was the last person she expected to walk into the room.

He smiled at her surprised expression, "I convinced them to let me stay until I got the chance to say goodbye to you. I'm going home."

She smiled in return, but only for his sake. Upon befriending him, she learned that he'd been confined here for nearly three months. "You didn't have to wait around for me, Melvin." She gushed. He was always sweet to her. If her heart was available, Jordyn suspected that she would've fallen for Melvin. Without warning, her smile faded.

"What's wrong?" He stepped next to her. "Do you need me to get the doctor?"

She shook her head and stood up. "I'm…fine, Melvin." She moved to the window and hesitated before turning back to him. "But I do need your help."

"Name it and it's done."

"Provide a distraction…a really overwhelming distraction that would monopolize them." Jordyn motioned to the door.

"What for?" He was confused.

Jordyn shook her head, afraid that her answer would cause him to stop her. But she HAD to do this. Despite that so many here loved and cared about her, she felt a stranger to this world. _They don't care about me. If they did, then Freddy would be here still._ "Just, please…do it for me." She finally responded.

"O-okay." The look in her eyes terrified him, but also convinced him to do as she wished. As he walked out of her room, he pondered on what do to. But then a scalpel caught his attention. _Someone must have left this here._ He looked down the hallway. Seeing that the coast was clear, he picked up the scalpel and noisily overturned the cart before shoving it away from him with his foot.

Nearby staff showed up to investigate and immediately noticed Melvin with a scalpel in hand and a wild look in his eyes. He knew they must be assuming that he finally snapped from the whole Freddy incident. Melvin dashed toward them, causing them to all shift away from Jordyn's room.

Jordyn heard the crashing and shouting as she stood by the door. She waited a few seconds and then entered the hallway. She turned to see all available staff trying to deal with Melvin. No one was aware of her in the hallway. _Thank you, Melvin._ She wistfully thought before carrying out her plan.

Jordyn moved across the hall and to the emergency stairwell. She was only three floors from the roof and quickly began her ascent. Jordyn was completely oblivious of a familiar figure following her from a safe distance.

The figure successfully trailed her up the three flights of stairs to the roof. As she crept to the raised ledge, the figure darted to a nearby hiding spot. Jordyn hadn't yet climbed up on the ledge and the figure heard her begin to cry. The figures eyes narrowed, but still he remained where he was.

"I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough. I was supposed to help you, my love, but I only got you killed." She paused and glanced at her bandaged wrists. "I cannot stay here…in this realm and I definitely cannot go to yours." Jordyn wiped at her eyes, but still the tears came.

The figure knew it was time to make his move, especially when she made a slight step towards the ledge. "Please don't."

Jordyn threw a startled glance over her shoulder and her eyes met with Andy's. She regained enough sense to close her agape mouth. "Andy?"

"They told me about this." He explained his presence.

"They?"

"The Dream Demons." He replied solemnly. "Kinda ruined my dinner, but now I'm glad." They silently gazed at each other, when finally he spoke again. "They were awfully concerned about their Mistress…I am too."

"Don't call me that!" She spat at him. "I don't deserve such a title." He blinked and started to protest, but she cut him off, "I have no one to be a Dream Mistress to."

"Maybe you don't need to…"

Again she stopped him, "I don't want to be a Dream Mistress without him, Andy!" When he stepped to her, she stepped back. "No!" Jordyn gritted her teeth, angry that he was thinking of stopping her.

"I think I know why the Dream Demons felt so compelled to have me stop you, Jo." He announced suddenly.

"I don't care anymore!"

Andy heard her, but continued anyway, "I think they want you to take over."

"Take over Nightmare World?" She wildly shook her head against the idea, "No…I can't…I won't!!" Without warning, Jordyn scampered onto the ledge. "Andy, it's over. You can be free of your duties, I can be free of my pain, and the world can be free of danger."

Andy watched in horror as she gave him a half-hearted smile as she shuffled to the edge of the ledge. A glance over her shoulder showed her the bustling city below. Andy locked eyes with her, using his to plead with her. "Please…" He whispered helplessly, and his pleading fell on deaf ears.

Jordyn closed her eyes, took a deep breath and opened them again. A few tears trickled down her face, "Take care of yourself, Andrew." And before he realized, she let herself fall backwards over the ledge. Andy reached the ledge and watched horrifically as her body limply descended to the concrete below.

**THE END**

* * *

_A/N: Well, it's finally over. Sad as it may be, this just had to go this way. I hope you've all enjoyed the ride. Unfortunately, I cannot reveal truthfully if there will or will not be a sequel. If there WERE to be a sequel, what would you want to see!?_

* * *


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